Old Farmer's Almanac

Old Farmer's Almanac, 1818

Today is the birthday of Robert B. Thomas, the founder of the Old Farmer's Almanac. The booklet has been released on the second Tuesday in September since 1792, making the Old Farmer's Almanac the oldest continuously published periodical in North America. The cost was originally about 4 cents.  They drilled a hole through the Almanac corner so subscribers could hang it from a nail or a string.  The most popular place to hang it (you guessed) was in the farm outhouse, giving families entertaining reading material and TP at the same time. The motto of the Almanac is:   
Useful, with a pleasant degree of humor.

In the 1990's the editors decided to stop drilling that hole because it cost them $40,000 a year.  Subscribers were so opposed they changed their minds and put it back.  Where people hang the paper Almanac now is a mystery but it still sells, even though you can go on-line for a free daily Almanac report.

The hole is still there

In making his original weather predictions, Robert Thomas studied solar activity, astronomy and other atmospheric woo-woo to create a secret formula.  The Almanac claims they still use it, although the current forecasting also relies on modern meteorology. The Almanac boasts that its long-range weather forecasts are 80% accurate, but like those astrology blurbs in the newspaper, the forecasts are so vague it's often hard to tell.

Scott Sistek, one of our local TV weathermen, did an analysis on his excellent blog about how accurately the Almanac forecasts Seattle weather.  Click HERE for a link.