Oh My! Shoefly Pie
How did these pies get their name? The most logical explanation seems to be that the sweet ingredients attracted flies when the pies were cooling. The cooks had to "shoo" the flies away, hence the name shoofly pie.

One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four: The Story of America's Favorite Vegetable
Americans love potatoes, whether it's fried, baked or mashed. They have become one of America's favorite vegetables. In this article, we will get to the roots of the potato, where it came from, and how it made its way onto our plates, and into our hearts.

Top ELEVEN Most Memorable Weather Events
In 1999 we published an article on the 100 Most Memorable Weather Events over the past century. In 2001, we went further back in weather history and named the Top 10. In 2007 we added one more event to the list.

Life, Liberty, and (Iced) Coffee for All!
Submit your Iced Coffee Recipe and Learn Coffee's History Share your best iced coffee recipes with us and learn all about coffee in the U.S.

Learn How to Prepare Onions
First appearing in the 2005 Farmers' Almanac A few ways to prepare onions and avoid. Read More

Memorable Weather Events of the Past 200 Years
Excerpted from the 2005 Farmers' Almanac If it seems that weather is more precarious today than in years past, guess again. America has always had strange weather events.

How Much Do You Know About Hurricanes?
First appearing in the 2006 Farmers' Almanac They may be more deadly than you think. Here are some hurricane facts.

The Stories Behind Food Names
What did gambling have to do with sandwiches?

Memorable Thanksgiving Weather
The first Thanksgiving in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621 was blessed with pleasant weather. But since then, other Thanksgiving holidays have not always enjoyed such fair conditions.

Quill Pens Scribed American History
The quill pen scripted major turning points in American history, including the Mayflower Compact. Learn More.

Decorating the Christmas Tree
Decorating the Christmas tree can be traced back to the 7th century. A wide variety of decorations, including tinsel made with real silver, have been used over the centuries. Here are a few ideas for making your tree special.

What are Latkes?
Here is an old-fashioned dish that is associated with Hanukkah. It is also easy to prepare.

Flatulence
You can stop suffering in silence by learning the cause and making changes in your diet.

The Legends and Lore of Valentine's Day
Ever wondered how the Valentines Day tradition started?

Secured Credit Cards
Secured and unsecured cards can be used to pay for goods and services. However, a secured card requires you to open and maintain a savings account as security for your line of credit; an unsecured card does not.

The Year of No Summer
In prolonged human suffering, no other disaster in New England in history matched the frigid summer of 1816, the coldest in American annals. To this day, no accurate record exists as to the number who perished, or what the financial loss might have been in a winter that lasted from November of 1815 until April 1817. No other event, other than the Gold Rush of 1849, had as much impact upon westward migration as did the "Year of No Summer."

Extreme Weather Stories
Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and Thunderstorms Did hail wreck your car? Wonder why hurricanes form? Do you live in an area prone to twisters? Check out this informative and interesting story about extreme weather conditions.

What is a Shamrock?
The shamrock is more than a symbol of luck, it has vast religious and historical meaning to St. Patrick and his followers.

What is aloe good for?
Aloe, a popular houseplant, has a long history as a multipurpose folk remedy.

Women and Credit
Being contacted by a collections agency can be scary and overwhelming. If you take a step back, read your rights, and think about your options, you can take control of the situation.

Where did Ice Cream Come From?
You scream . . . I scream . . . We all scream for ICE SCREAM ...but who Screamed first? Learn about the history of this popular dessert.

Longest Running Almanac Editor In History
September 18th marks the birth anniversary of the Farmers' Almanac's most colorful editor.

How Do Volcanoes Affect Our Weather?
With all of the debris that volcanoes put in the air and the land, what if anything do these volcanic eruptions do to our weather?

How Much Daylight are We Really Saving?!

The Origin of the Christmas Card

Happy Kwanzaa
Learn what this holiday is all about. Kwanzaa is a week-long celebration that starts on December 26th. Learn more about the origin and traditions of this holiday.

New Year's Folklore
Why should you kiss the one you love at midnight? Did you know that opening all doors and windows at midnight lets the old year escape? Read on for more New Year's lore.

How long does a star last in outer space?
Does it ever explode? Ever wonder how old a star is? Or if it ever explodes? Read on for the answers and more star-filled information.

Is Your Love Written in the Stars?
A historical look at astrology. Ever wonder how astronomy and astrology are connected? Learn about how the fate of our ancestors relied on the stars.

Snowed In? Check out these record snowfalls.
This week's marks a record in snow history Can you imagine receiving almost 200 inches of snow from one storm? It happened.

Why a birthday cake? Why candles?
Birthday traditions revealed. Learn the history behind birthday parties as well as where some birthday traditions come from.

Why do Graduates wear Robes?
It's graduation season! Check out the colorful history and reason for wearing robes during ceremonies.

Hungry? Think Blue!
July is National Blueberry Month. July is the best time to eat more blueberries. They're healthy, patriotic, and tasty!

John Deere: The Man
Most people know John Deere the brand, but did you know John Deere was a real man? Learn how John Deere, the inventor, helped shape the history of farming in America.

History of the Thermometer
Learn about the origin of this time-tested device for measuring varying degrees of temperature.

Gadget Gurus
Meet with the Moffets of Illinois and see their unique collection of antique tools, one of the largest in the world.

Inside Carlsbad
For years, people have been flocking to New Mexico's Carlsbad Caverns. From tourists to spelunkers, Carlsbad is an underground treasure to be discovered!

Pickin' Parlor
Meet the man behind the sound of some of music's greatest guitar players, as we dropped in for a visit at Randy Wood's Pickin' Parlor.

Larger than Life: The Legend of Paul Bunyan
Take a journey into both history and myth as we visit the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Museum in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

History of the Bridal Bouquet
Learn the truth behind the tradition of the wedding bouquet.

February Full Moon
The full moon for February has had many different cultural monikers. Farmers' Almanac TV explores the history of this celestial icon.

Peanut Farmer
Farmers' Almanac TV visited Plains, Georgia, home of peanut farmer and former President Jimmy Carter.

Benjamin Banneker
The incredible story of the first Almanac written by an African-American--Benjamin Banneker, a son of slaves who solely through 'observational knowledge' taught himself to read, write, make a working clock, and understand the stars.

First Farmer - President Jimmy Carter
Farmers' Almanac TV sits down with peanut farmer and former President Jimmy Carter.

The Old Ballgame: Town Ball
Before there was baseball, you could find different versions of stick and ball games being played all over the United States in the 19th Century. What did these games look like? The Leatherstocking Baseball Club of Cooperstown, New York shows us.

The History of Farm Aid
21 Years ago Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and John Mellencamp started a movement that is still helping Family Farmers. We Pay tribute to their effort.

American Almanacs: A Living History DVD and VHS
American Almanacs: A Living History. If you are interested in the science behind predictions and in learning how you too can predict things -- this groundbreaking program is for you! Breathtaking photography, beautiful scenery and rare historical images escort...

Season 2 Episode 1
New York Times, columnist, Verlyn Klinkenborg converses with us about rural and urban life. His take on which is the hardest is surprising.Nickel Creek gives us a look inside their 2006 tour and long history.A father and son team...

Rock & Mineral DK Eyewitness VHS
The Rock and Mineral DK Eyewitness video shatters the stone's reputation for "rock solid" permanence. Discover how rocks keep a constantly changing record of our planet's fascinating history, and see how minerals are at the very core of our...

Prehistoric Life DK Eyewitness Video
The Prehistoric Life DK Eyewitness video digs deep to unearth the first chapters of our planet's living history. Journey across the ages to discover how life, in all its breathtaking variety, has relentlessly adapted itself into every nook and...

The Change in the Weather
People, Weather, and the Science of ClimateWritten by William K. StevensTrade Paperback, 384 pagesUpdated with a new afterword, including information on the warmest winter of the century.Is something going on with the weather?A record-setting heat wave that just won't release...

How the Weather Works
by Michael AllabyDesigned for the whole family to enjoy together, this is a fascinating introduction to meteorological phenomena from what causes them to how experts forecast when they will occur. It contains hundreds of stimulating hands-on experiments, projects, and demonstrations...

Foxfire 10
Interested in rediscovering the virtues of simple life?Although about a quarter of this collection of oral histories is devoted to folk arts and crafts, such as chair-making and gourd art, the focus in this Foxfire volume is on Appalachian history....

Famous President Quotes
September 28, 2005 9:09 AM

Best Ways to Celebrate Memorial Day Indoors (in case it rains)
May 19, 2008 8:17 AM

13 Ways to Improve Your Luck this Friday the 13th
June 9, 2008 1:36 AM

Vinegar Rocks!
January 16, 2007 9:20 AM

Yes, Virginia, There IS a Santa Claus
December 3, 2007 10:10 AM

Thanksgiving Traditions
November 16, 2007 2:47 PM

Summer Solstice and the Passing of an Astronomy Legend
June 21, 2007 8:41 AM

For The Press
Common Press Questions and AnswersFind answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about the Farmers' Almanac and Farmers' Almanac TV.Fact SheetGet some quick facts, such as Almanac readership and television viewership information.Interview RequestsGet contact information for the editor...

Interview Requests
Looking for a lively, unusual, but informative interview for your story or show? Farmers’ Almanac editors love to talk about unusual weather, long-range weather outlooks and more! Both seasoned interviewees, editors Pete Geiger and Sandi Duncan are ready, willing...

Common Press Questions and Answers
What is the Farmers’ Almanac? Founded in 1818, the Farmers’ Almanac is North America’s most timeless, trusted, and treasured source for long-range weather predictions, humor, fun facts, and valuable advice on gardening, cooking, fishing, conservation, and much more. The...

What’s inside the 2008 Farmers’ Almanac? Take a peek…
Farmers’ Almanac Weather Predictions - The Tradition ContinuesWith more weather than another almanac, the 2008 Farmers’ Almanac contains 16 months of weather – starting with September 2007 and going through December 2008. Be the first to know when the snow...

Sandi Duncan, Philom., Managing Editor of the Farmers' Almanac
If only Sandi Duncan could remember all of the interesting bits of trivia she’s learned throughout her years of editing the Farmers’ Almanac, she’d be able to make a fortune on the television quiz show circuit and retire comfortably. Luckily...

Farmers' Almanac Timeline
1818 – The first edition of Farmers’ Almanac is printed by editor David Young, Philom., and publisher Jacob Mann, in Morristown, N.J. 1852 – David Young dies. Astronomer Samuel Hart Wright succeeds him as editor. 1875...

2007-2008 Weather Outlook for Canada
Click here for the 2007-2008 U.S. Outlook » Weather is the most talked about subject on earth, which makes the annual Canadian Farmers’ Almanac weather predictions a hot topic. Fans of the Almanac say its famous long-range forecast is accurate...

Farmers' Almanac History
Founded in 1818, the Farmers’ Almanac’s timeless appeal has spanned three centuries, offering readers a trademark blend of long-range weather predictions, humor, fun facts, and valuable advice on gardening, cooking, fishing, conservation, and much more. The Farmers’...