Best of Almanac articles Articles

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A collection of those classic, sometimes quirky, only-in-the-Almanac articles from our archives.

Headache Cartoon

16 Folk Remedies for Headaches

Here are 16 “sure-fire” folk remedies for headaches. Back then, they didn’t have that warning, “Don...
Wishbone

Predicting Weather with a Wishbone

Can you really predict weather with a wishbone? Back around the turn of the last century, in the...
Painting by Dean Cornwell

The First See-Through Stomach

Here’s an unbelievable but true story from The Old Farmer’s Almanac archives about a gruesome...
Green Lizard

100 Ways to Avoid Dying

“Don’t let a lizard count your teeth.” Discover 100 ways to avoid dying—without giving up any of...
Embedded thumbnail for Why Is There a Hole in The Old Farmer's Almanac?

Why Is There a Hole in The Old Farmer's Almanac?

Why do we punch a hole in the corner of The Old Farmer’s Almanac? When did it start? And what do we...
Trumpet Taps

The Tuneful Tale of "Taps"

Ever wonder about the bugle call performed on Memorial Day and Veterans Day and at almost every...
Spooner

Mardon Me, Padam, But Do You Know Any Spoonerisms?

Ever meant to say one thing, but something else pops out of your mouth? Spoonerisms are sort of...
U-boat

Supplying Information to the Enemy

Here’s a short story from the The Old Farmer’s Almanac archives about supplying information to a...
Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln, the Almanac, and a Murder Trial

Abraham Lincoln, born on February 12 in 1809, pursued a legal career before turning to a political...
Woman and Chihuahua

Why My Great-Uncle Gave Up the Ministry

When this true story was published in The 1984 Old Farmer’s Almanac, many readers wrote to say that...
2011 Almanac

Best of the Almanac

Since George Washington was President of the U.S., folks have turned to The Old Farmer’s Almanac...
Captain L.G. Capers

The First Case of Artificial Insemination by a Bullet

During the Civil War, Union doctor Captain L. G. Capers was acting as a field surgeon at a skirmish...
Old Cover

Humor, Sexism, Bed Bugs, Tobacco Smoke, and Type Size

Were the old ways really the best ways? Take a look back at the jokes, sexism, and quirky cures...
Man of Signs

Almanac History: The Man of Signs and More

Those quirky advertisements, the Man of Signs, and adding the word “Old” to The Old Farmer’s...
Roman Eras

New Eras: When They Began and When They Didn't

Ever noticed that The Old Farmer’s Almanac carries a listing of Chronological Eras each year? When...
Hymnal

What to Do During a Long Sermon

Next time you find it difficult to sit still during a long sermon or church service, you might try...
Anniversary Issue - A Walk Through Time Version 2

A Walk Through Time

It’s fascinating to read through early editions of The Old Farmer’s Almanac during the times of the...
Mount Tambora Eruption

Predicting Snow for the Summer of 1816

Here’s a peculiar prediction: Legend says that a July forecast of “rain, hail, and snow” mistakenly...
Zodiac Signs

Best Days: When's The Best Time to Castrate Your Bull and More

From the beginning, The Old Farmer's Almanac has been calculated on astronomy, not astrology. But...
Frozen Death

Frozen Death

First published in 1943, this is still one of the all-time favorite (and most debated) stories...