'Wit, wisdom and weather': Farmers' Almanac is no more after 208-year run

The last issue of Farmers' Almanac features images of farms and skyscrapers

It's an annual American tradition, a publication known for its long-term weather predictions, gardening tips and folksy home remedies, but after 208 years, the Farmers' Almanac will shut down.

Its editors announced on Thursday that due to the "chaotic media environment", the 2026 issue would be its last.

The publication, founded in 1818, is often confused with the even older - and appropriately named - Old Farmer's Almanac, which announced the same day that it has no intention of closing.

Farmers' almanacs have largely been replaced by advanced weather forecasting models and online forums, but for generations they were a mainstay for Americans and are still loved by some loyal followers.

They date back to a time when more Americans grew their own food and relied on the booklets for guidance on the best time of year to plant, harvest and myriad other activities.

Numerous almanacs have closed over the years, including Poor Richard's Almanack, famously started by American founding father Benjamin Franklin. It ran from 1732 to 1758.

"It is with a heavy heart 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," editor Sandi Duncan said in a statement on Thursday.

In an online post announcing the Farmers' Almanac closing, including the website which closes down next month, readers mourned the loss.

"Please don't go. I've grown up with you and want to keep growing older together," one reader pleaded.

"Please tell me it isn't so," another reader lamented.

"I have had the FA in my home every year since I was 19 years old. I am now in my 70's. The wit, wisdom, and weather have been like a wonderful old friend to me."

Both the Farmers' Almanac and its older counterpart use a secret formula for predictions - using sunspots, lunar cycles, and the positions of the planets.

Their findings have largely been disproven by scientists, who found that - at best - they had a 50% chance at accuracy. Still, the quaint tips found a following, attracting interest from weather watchers of all sorts, including skiers and fishermen.

It offered remedies over the years - catnip as a pain reliever, and elderberry syrup as an immune booster, according to the Associated Press.

And it included tips: how to analyse a caterpillar's colouring to determine how long winter will last, and a range of "best days" to do everything from baking, brewing, quitting smoking, and weaning breast-feeding children.

The Farmers' Almanac started printing in Morristown, New Jersey, before moving to Maine in 1955. Print copies of the final edition can still be purchased on Amazon for $10 (£8).

But after the announcement, the Old Farmer's Almanac, a long-time competitor believed to be the oldest continually running US publication, said in a statement that it "isn't going anywhere".

"As we have since 1792, during George Washington's presidency, we will continue to publish our annual edition," the editors of the older almanac wrote.