 | | Dear Almanac readers,
Happy New Almanac Year! Today, August 31, is the official "Debut Day" of The 2022 Old Farmer’s Almanac—when the new annual edition is available in local stores across the U.S. and Canada. | | PREVAILING CUSTOMS
In this digital age, the annual "Debut Day” seems more of a longtime tradition. No longer do all retail stores "hold" the new issue from the shelves until launch day as they did years ago. (Readers reported copies in their Walmart last week!) And online stores get the copies even earlier as trucks distribute the books across North America.
Even writing this annual letter to you, our loyal Almanac newsletter readers, reminds us of something our founder, Robert B. Thomas, wrote on the first page of the very first Almanac—on September 15, 1792—during George Washington's presidency . . . |
| "Had it not been the prevailing custom to usher these periodical pieces into the world by a preface, I would have excused myself the trouble of writing, and you of reading one to this: for if it be well executed, a preface will add nothing to its merit; if otherwise, it will be far from supplying its defects."
Thomas, a 26-year-old farmer (the gentleman pictured at the right of our cover), believed that his Almanac—"calculated on a new and improved plan of our Lord, 1793"—needed no introduction. He offered the Almanac as a comprehensive and trustworthy package of "new, useful, and entertaining matter”—with reliable Moon phase and Sunrise/set times (important to planting traditions), no-nonsense reminders and advisories, timesaving recipes, home remedies, and even math challenges and amusements. The book (now in its 230th year!) would eventually become the oldest continuously published periodical in North America.
This is how the Almanac began and the reason why its execution—its accuracy, relevance, usefulness, and entertainment—continues, we hope, to meet (or exceed!) the expectation of readers like you during every day throughout the year. Still printed in the USA, The Old Farmer’s Almanac is the #1 Almanac in the world. Thank you again for your patronage! May our newest edition exceed your expectations!
Sincerely,
Your Old Farmer’s Almanac Editors |  | WHAT’S INSIDE THE NEW 2022 ALMANAC?
Although the Almanac is about far more than weather, many of our readers first ask about our winter predictions.
“Season of Shivers”
Brrrr! The 2022 edition comes with a winter warning: Prepare for a “Season of Shivers.” We predict bone-chilling, below-average temperatures across most of the U.S. It could well be one of the longest and coldest that we’ve seen in years. In some places, the super cold of the coming winter will also bring lots of snow. This extreme wintry mix is expected in areas of New England as well as throughout the Ohio Valley, in northern portions of the Deep South, and in southeast New Mexico.
Above-average snowfall is also in the forecast along a track from eastern Montana southward through the western halves of the Dakotas and into northeastern Colorado. While temperatures in this midcountry strip will be relatively normal, snowfall will be abundant, with several storms predicted throughout the winter. Meanwhile, most western areas will remain relatively dry, with all but the Pacific Coast itself and portions of the Southwest experiencing the frigid cold predicted for much of the rest of the country.
“Weather the Storms”
Canadians should be prepared to “Weather the Storms.” This coming winter won’t be remarkable in terms of temperature, but for our Canadian friends who will end up just wanting to dry out, it will be a long season indeed. Whether snow, sleet, or rain arrives will depend on location, location, location!
See the 2021-2022 Winter Weather Forecast summary—and map! |  | 2022 TRENDS FOR YOUR LIFE, HEALTH, WEALTH, PETS, AND MORE!
Every edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac includes notable trends for the coming year. Here are a few highlights:
- Forget the gym—volunteer on a farm to get fit while helping out a small farmer!
- Grocery delivery is becoming the norm, whether this means shipment in temperature-controlled boxes or purchases from mobile grocery trucks that are restocked after each neighborhood stop.
- With 89.4 million U.S. homes living with at least one pet, it’s no surprise that homes are becoming more pet-centric, with accoutrements like pet beds disguised as end tables and in-ground dog waste composting units.
- U.S. consumers are happily paying more to buy from American manufacturers. If they feel guilty about the extra spending, they can hire a financial therapist to help with both their money problems and their emotions.
- As working from home has become more common, stay tuned for mobile work vans complete with all of the trappings of the office, including a coffee machine.
- “Second life” is the biggest story in fashion: Clothing repurposed into other items, buyback programs, and secondhand retail are fast-growing segments of the industry.
|  | FEATURED ARTICLES
What else is new in the 2022? Take a sneak peek: - Growing Together: Our annual feature spotlights independent farmers from all walks of life, including one who is betting on eggplant after the turmoil of 2020. This tale joins dispatches from other small farmers, who are—among other things!—making wine, raising cattle, tending bees, and growing big, bright sugarbushes!
- What, the Hail? In recent years, there have been lots of news stories about gargantuan hail, but are these “watery meteors” actually getting bigger? We explore the cold reality, including the havoc that even pea-size hailstones can wreak.
- The Tooth, the Whole Tooth, and Nothing but the Tooth: New parents once feared that children born with teeth would become vampires. In the 1800s, the best dentures were often scavenged from a very unlikely (and grisly!) source. We explore the folklore and early science of teeth, from cradle to grave, putting the idea of “modern dentistry” into perspective!
- The Star-Spangled School Project (U.S. edition only): Every schoolchild knows that the original American flag was created by Betsy Ross, but who designed the 50-star version? It turns out that this Old Glory started as a B-minus school assignment by a teenager in 1958.
- Beyond the Boards: In 1972, Canadian hockey’s superstars skated against their Soviet counterparts in eight games known as the Summit Series. The action on the ice was only half of the story—we explore the behind-the-scenes espionage, high stakes deals, marital strife, and more that made the series one of a kind!
- 2021 Essay Contest Winners—"A Kindness I Will Always Remember”: Our most popular essay contest ever. This collection of heartfelt and uplifting stories from our readers is a reminder that a little kindness goes a long, long way.
- Expert Gardening Tips for growing a rainbow of dahlias or a patch of pumpkins (hint: the bumpier the skin, the sweeter the taste!), plus how to make scents of potpourri.
- Recipes that make the most of the season, along with award-winning dishes and desserts that use five or fewer ingredients!
- The art and science of animal tracking, plus how to read Mother Nature’s signs to choose a fishing spot.
|  | YOUR CALENDAR OF THE HEAVENS
And, as always, you’ll find everything that makes this a true almanac—a calendar of the heavens and a time capsule of the year: - Timetables for the year’s astronomical events, Moon phase information, and celestial happenings
- Daily weather forecasts for all of the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, and Canada (Canadian edition only)
- Calendar pages with holidays, history, historical data, and folklore for every day of the year
- Planting, frost, animal gestation, and measuring tables, plus reference charts and tools
- The best days to do things (from fishing to weaning, from planting to setting eggs)
- Cooking and gardening tips, home and health remedies, plus seasonal advice
- Anecdotes & Pleasantries, quirky facts, contests, profound proverbs
The Almanac is the one book that you can read all year, again and again, because it has information and advice that you can use—or be amused by—every day!
Look inside! Take a peek at the pages of the 2022 edition! | WHERE TO PICK UP A COPY
Look for The 2022 Old Farmer’s Almanac everywhere that books and magazines are sold. | | | | You received this email because you signed for updates from The Old Farmer's Almanac.
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