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The Old Farmer's Almanac
Canadian Edition

Old Farmer’s Almanac Predicts Northern Chills and Southern Heat for Canada in 2008

New Edition of Venerable Publication Set for September Release

Brace yourself: Depending on where you live in Canada, you could be in for a very warm winter or a very cool summer.

This news comes from The 2008 Old Farmer’s Almanac Canadian Edition, available on September 12, 2007. Best known for its 80 percent–accurate weather forecasts, The Old Farmer’s Almanac is North America’s oldest continuously published annual periodical. It can be found for just $5.99 wherever books and magazines are sold.

According to the Almanac, most of southern Canada will have a very mild winter, while below-normal temperatures will prevail across the north. Come summer, western portions of the country can expect scorching heat, while much of the eastern half of the nation will have cooler-than-normal temperatures.

“The temperature extremes that will dominate the country will be the result of a wintertime La Niña,” says John Pierce, publisher of The Old Farmer’s Almanac Canadian Edition. “Although it will be warmer than normal, on average, in southern Canada this winter, there will be some brief periods that are very cold.”

HOW WARM? HOW COLD?
“A lot will be determined by the strength of the La Niña,” says Pierce. “A weak La Niña will intensify the north-south flow, which means prolonged cold periods, especially in the southeast.”

If the strong La Niña prevails as expected, snowfall will be below average for most parts of the country, except for Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec and a narrow swath from the southern Prairies northward into the Yukon Territories.

In addition to its weather forecasts, The 2008 Old Farmer’s Almanac Canadian Edition predicts what’s going to be fashionable in the coming year. According to the Almanac’s team of style soothsayers, Canadians will continue the trend of eco-friendly home construction, women’s fashion will be big and bold, and road maps dating from the 1930s and ’40s will make a splash among collectors.

Fans of The Old Farmer’s Almanac Canadian Edition have come to expect advice and insights from the handy annual, including some they didn’t know they needed. The 2008 edition doesn’t disappoint. Here’s a sample of the stories inside:

“Blown Away” (page 184): Weather is a wild and windy subject in Canada. While reliable breezes have attracted worldclass windsurfers to western waters, gale force winds on the Atlantic coast have caused some of the worst disasters in Canadian history. The Almanac looks back on the blustery conditions that shaped the country’s weather service and, now, its efforts to generate alternative energy sources.

“Do You Hear What I Hear?” (page 158): Anyone who has been near the Peace Tower in Ottawa during the week has heard the work of Gordon Slater, the country’s only full-time carillonneur. Slater has been training for the job since he was just seven years old. Find out about his unique position as well as his instrument, one of the oldest of its kind in the country.

“Little Giants” (page 28): Fruit and vegetable gardening can be bountiful and unfussy when using our tried-and-true small-space techniques and tiny varieties. These mighty midgets grow on dwarf plants and produce “big” yields: 4-inch cantaloupes, 4-pound watermelons, 3-inch-round zucchini, and 2-inch peppers. Plus, with container gardening all the rage, the Almanac tells you how to make the easiest one ever.

“Our Worst Poet. Ever.” (page 166): What else can be said about a man whose most beloved and best-known work is “Ode on the Mammoth Cheese”—a poem about a 7,300-pound wheel of cheddar? Quite a lot, actually. James McIntyre (known as “the Chaucer of Cheese”) has inspired a new generation to wax poetic about his muse. You decide whether this is a good thing or just . . . cheesy.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac is also proud to announce Volume 2 of its best-selling Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids. Created for young people ages 8 and up, this newest edition features wacky and fascinating (not to mention educational) facts, stories, and projects that will keep kids occupied for hours. It is available for $11.95 at most major booksellers and
through its companion Web site, Almanac4kids.com.*

* Did you know? Almanac4kids.com content is updated weekly and always offers a free Activity Guide that corresponds to The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids, Volume 2.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac Canadian Edition is produced by Yankee Publishing Inc. of Dublin, New Hampshire. The Almanac product line also includes themed calendars for 2008: Gardening, Country, and Weather Watcher’s (for wall display); Every Day (in the page-per-day format); and a hardcover Engagement calendar with concealed Wire-O binding.
Created for cooks (and anyone who likes to eat) are the Blue Ribbon Recipes and Best Home Baking cookbooks, featuring award-winning recipes from state and country fairs.

The 2008 Old Farmer’s Almanac Canadian Edition is available wherever books and magazines are sold. Folks who can’t find it in bookstores, supermarkets, or hardware stores can order individual copies or subscriptions at Almanac.com** or by calling 800-ALMANAC.

** Did you know? Almanac.com is loaded with even more recipes, trivia, and advice than the Almanac. Try the home-page personalization option, the podcasts, and the newsletter.

The Old Farmer's Almanac, 1121 Main St., Dublin, NH 03444