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After publishing for more than two centuries, Farmers’ Almanac will release its final edition in 2026, according to the Associated Press. The decision was announced Thursday by the Maine-based publication, which first printed in 1818. “It is with a heavy heart,” Editor Sandi Duncan said in a statement, “that we share the end of what has not only been an annual tradition in millions of homes and hearths for hundreds of years, but also a way of life, an inspiration for many who realize the wisdom of generations past is the key to the generations of the future.” Publishers cited the ongoing financial problems with producing and distributing the book in the current “chaotic media environment” as the cause for the closure. The online version of the almanac will cease next month. The Farmers’ Almanac shares planting guidance and weather predictions for farmers, gardeners and others. According to the AP, the almanac uses secret formulas based on sunspots, planetary positions and lunar cycles to generate long-range weather forecasts. Farmers’ Almanac was founded in New Jersey and moved its headquarters to Lewiston, Maine, in 1955. As of 2017, the almanac boasted a circulation of 2.1 million and appeared to be growing. However, that growth was not sustained. “We are incredibly proud of the legacy we leave behind and grateful to our loyal staff, readers, contributors, and partners who have supported us through the years,” Duncan said. “Though the Almanac will no longer be available in print or online, its spirit will live on in the values it championed: simplicity, sustainability, and connection to nature.” While Farmers’ Almanac is shuttering, the more well-known, New Hampshire-based The Old Farmer’s Almanac will continue to be published. As news broke of Farmers’ Almanac shutting down, some readers were concerned that The Old Farmer’s Almanac was also ending. “The OLD Farmer’s Almanac isn’t going anywhere,” publishers posted online.
