From the 1996 Farmers’ Almanac – By, Anne M. Johnson The natives of the Caribbean were one of the first people to revere hurricanes, known to them as the harbinger of huracan, the evil spirit. They feared them the most between June and November, when the sky was brilliant blue, framed by high cirrus clouds

As the chill of winter begins to loosen its grip and we edge closer to the promise of spring, one of the most welcome changes is the gradual lengthening of our days. February, that quirky month with its extra day every leap year (and 2024 was one, folks!), marks a turning point where the sun

Dates on products aren’t as important as you might think. By law, only infant formula and certain baby foods are required to have dates stamped on them. Most foods are still safe after the “expiration date” has come and gone. However, the taste may be affected. Before you toss out good food based on expiration

Test Your Wildlife Knowledge Think you know the wild? Let’s find out. We stumbled across this classic wildlife true-or-false quiz from an 2000 Farmers’ Almanac, and it’s the perfect reminder that nature is way weirder (and cooler) than most of us remember. Some of these sound obvious… until they’re not. TRUE OR FALSE? *SEE PAGE

At Farmers’ Almanac, we love marking the days that shaped American history—and February 2, 1901, is one worth remembering. That’s when the Army Nurse Corps was officially established, creating a permanent place for women in the medical service of the United States Army. It was a milestone not just for military medicine, but for women’s

From the 2003 Farmers’ Almanac | Animal tracking TIPS and TACTICS.By Stephen LeahyA freelance author located in Brooklin, Ontario. There are legendary trackers who can glance at a gravel roadway and know where and when a mouse crossed the road, as well as the mouse’s sex and age, and what it had for lunch. Today,

By Verbalist Richard Lederer | From the 2010 Edtion of Farmers’ Almanac The poet Carl Sandburg wrote, “The fog comes in on little cat feet.” So does a large litter of our words and expressions. Whatever their ups and downs throughout history, cats have usually landed on their feet and have left their paw prints

Winter can be tough on your skin. As soon as the heat goes on, skin dries up. Low humidity during the winter, both inside and outside, enhances the drying effect on your skin, as does exposure to the colder elements of the season’s weather. When your skin becomes cold, blood vessels that supply your skin

If you’ve ever had your pipes burst in the winter, you already know it can be devastating to your home. Far beyond the cost of replacing the pipes is the expense and heartache of restoring or replacing the structure and your personal belongings damaged by a deluge. If you haven’t yet been one of the

By Richard Lederer Richard Lederer is a contributing editor for the Farmers’ Almanac and a well-known author, speaker, and verbalist. The most widely understood American word in the world is O.K. The explanations for its origin have been as imaginative as they have been various. Some have claimed that O.K. is a version of the