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The Old Farmer's Almanac Essay Contest

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Every year, The Old Farmer’s Almanac holds an essay contest with cash prizes! Learn more and enter here—and read beautiful, touching essays from past winners!

The topic of the 2027 Essay Contest is “You’ll Never Believe What Happened at This Wedding…” Enter the contest here!

Past Winning Essays

Winners of the 2026 Essay Contest: My Most Embarrassing Moment—That Still Makes Me Laugh

Winners of the 2025 Essay Contest: The Best Gift I Ever Gave

Winners of the 2024 Essay Contest: The Best Money I Ever Spent

Winners of the 2023 Essay Contest: A Funny Thing That Happened to Me

Winners of the 2022 Essay Contest: My Most Memorable Wildlife Experience

Winners of the 2021 Essay Contest: A Kindness I Will Always Remember

Winners of the 2020 Essay Contest: What Worn-Out Possession Is Dearest to You, and Why?

Winners of the 2019 Essay Contest: Kids Say the Funniest Things

Winners of the 2018 Essay Contest: How Weather Changed My Life

Winners of the 2017 Essay Contest: The Historical Figure I Would Like To Meet and Why

Winners of the 2016 Essay Contest: A New Holiday We Need—And Why

Winners of the 2015 Essay Contest: My Best Car Story

Winners of the 2014 Essay Contest: My Most Unusual Coincidence

Winners of the 2013 Essay Contest: My Funniest Family Moment

Winners of the 2012 Essay Contest: How The Old Farmer’s Almanac Has Influenced My Life

Winners of the 2011 Essay Contest: My Best Original Money-Saving Habit

Winners of the 2010 Essay Contest: The Kindest Thing Anyone Ever Did for Me

Winners of the 2009 Essay Contest: My Pet’s Best Trick Ever

All the best if you enter your own essay! Explore and enter all of our Almanac contests here.

Contests

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the digital home of The Old Farmer’s Almanac. She leads digital editorial strategy and publishing across a wide range of Almanac sub...

Read more from Catherine Boeckmann

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Comments

<span>Matthew</span> Wed, 02/01/2017 - 14:25
But When are the winners chosen?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 02/06/2017 - 13:03

We do not have a date for when we'll get together to choose the winners. Rest assured the winners will be announced with The 2018 Old Farmer's Almanac which is published in August.

 <span>Andrea Deegan-Smith</span> Mon, 01/23/2017 - 19:16
I understand that Yankee Publishing will retain all rights to the winning essays; could the winners still use the essay as a writing sample when submitting for other freelance work? Thanks.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 01/31/2017 - 13:57

Certainly you could use the essay as a writing sample, Andrea. If you win, and were to use your essay that way, it might be a feather in your cap to let your readers know that it won this contest and was published. Thanks for your interest!

 <span>Marya Morin</span> Fri, 12/23/2016 - 13:57
Is there a limit to how many entries one may submit--and are Canadian entries accepted??
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 01/04/2017 - 16:28

Hi, Marya-

There is no limit as to how many entries you send, but you can only win one prize. And we absolutely welcome our neighbors to the north to enter! Good luck!

 <span>Joyce Dunwoody</span> Fri, 12/18/2015 - 13:01
Does the title count as part of the 200 words?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Tue, 12/22/2015 - 10:18

The title does not count. Thanks for checking!

 <span>Amanda Merlau</span> Fri, 05/08/2015 - 14:40
Hi! I was just wondering if it cost anything to enter in the contest?
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Sat, 05/09/2015 - 02:23
No, it does not cost any money to enter our contests. The cash prize is for the readers!