After more than 200 years of sharing weather predictions and gardening tips, the Farmers’ Almanac is calling it quits. Here is a statement from current editor Sandi Duncan and editor emeritus Peter Geiger: “We’ve made the very difficult decision to write the final chapter of this historical publication. The 2026 Farmers’ Almanac will be our last edition.”
The news isn’t all bad for fans of almanacs for farmers, however, because the original one, the Old Farmer’s Almanac, will continue to publish. However, it’s a loss for astrology fans, because the original publication—unlike the newer one—doesn’t use astrology in its weather predictions. That’s probably a good thing, according to Earth systems scientist Dr. Hansi Singh, who finds weather predictions based on astrology “not very scientific.”
So how do these two publications differ, how popular are they, and why is the Farmers’ Almanac going away? Let us explain.
What Is the Farmers’ Almanac?
Let’s start with the apostrophe. If you Google “Farmers’ Almanac,” you’ll land on the page of the publication that is being discontinued. If, however, you type in “Farmer’s Almanac,” you’ll land on the page of the other one, which is known as the Old Farmer’s Almanac to distinguish it from its competitor. The Old Farmer’s Almanac was first published in 1792 in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, when George Washington was president, whereas the Farmers’ Almanac (the one going away) began publication in the New York/New Jersey area in 1818, some 20 years later.
Both almanacs have served a similar purpose: “sharing a unique blend of weather, wit and wisdom,” according to Duncan and Geiger. They have always made long-range weather forecasts to help farmers plan for the growing season. They also provided household and gardening tips, along with information on planetary movements and interesting stories and anecdotes to attract readers. Neither almanac covered current events, which were the purview of publications like The Boston News-Letter (founded in 1704). Instead, they focused on more enduring matters relevant to farmers and householders.
Do People Still Use It?
Both almanacs remain popular for their gardening and household tips, astronomical information, and advice on making living off the land more productive, but as for weather predictions, people don’t rely on them as much as they used to. “They haven’t done much to change or improve their methods in recent years,” says professional landscaper Steve Corcoran. “Other resources are constantly updating their technology and using newer, better methods to take into consideration more elements that impact the weather, leading to those often being a lot more accurate.”
Dr. Singh echoes this: “Earth scientists have developed long-range weather prediction tools over the last two decades that rely on sophisticated Earth system models.” These, she says, are far more reliable than factors such as historical weather patterns, sunspot activity, and astrology. “Unlike the almanacs’ approach, modern science-based forecasts also incorporate the impacts of climate change, which historical pattern-matching cannot capture.”
Why It’s Ending
The demise of the Farmers’ Almanac is mostly due to financial pressure. “This decision, though difficult,” writes Duncan, “reflects the growing financial challenges of producing and distributing the Almanac in today’s chaotic media environment.”
The 2026 edition of the familiar orange-covered Farmers’ Almanac booklet is available now in bookstores, but the website is no longer operating. If you navigate there, you’ll find only the editors’ farewell message.
Other Resources Like the Farmers’ Almanac
The Old Farmer’s Almanac is still publishing its booklet and maintaining its website. The cover of the booklet is yellow and displays the title in red lettering, along with images of founder Robert B. Thomas, Benjamin Franklin and the motto: “Useful, with a pleasant degree of humor.”
You can access the website of the Old Farmer’s Almanac by simply entering “almanac.com” in your search engine. You’ll find much of the same type of information you would find at the Farmers’ Almanac site, including planetary movements and other astronomical data, but you won’t find anything related to astrology. If your main interest is reading astrological weather charts, try an astrological site such as Astro-Seek.com.
FAQ
How accurate are long-range forecasts?
The Old Farmer’s Almanac claims an accuracy of 80 percent in its weather predictions. However, as I noted in a previous article, a five-year study conducted by the University of Illinois and published online in 2010 found an accuracy of only 52 percent—about the same as you would get from guessing. According to Hansi: “The most trusted long-range forecasts come from major scientific agencies such as NOAA in the U.S. and ECM WF in Europe, both of which make their data publicly available.”
What other information is included?
With the demise of the Farmers’ Almanac, we only have one almanac left, and it’s the original. Here are some of the topics you’ll find there:
- Long-range and seasonal weather forecasts;
- Gardening and planting guides: Advice on best days for planting based on lunar cycles;
- Folklore and remedies: Folk wisdom and natural healing methods;
- Science-based astronomical data, including moon phases, planetary movements and celestial events like meteor showers and eclipses;
- Entertaining trivia and tidbits.
About the Experts
- Steve Corcoran is the CEO of Lawn Love, an online lawn care and gardening service.
- Dr. Hansi Singh is an Earth systems scientist and the co-founder and CEO of Planette, a company delivering long-range forecasts that combine advanced Earth system models with AI.
Sources
- Farmers’ Almanac: A Fond Farewell; (2025)
- Farmers’ Almanac: End of an Era: Farmers’ Almanac Announces Final Publication; (2025)
- Almanac: The Old Farmer’s Almanac—234 Years and Still Going Strong; (2026)
- Taylor Francis Online: Testing the Farmer’s Almanac; (2010)
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