Facts And Fun In 2008 Farmer’s Almanac

By Nancy K. Crevier

If you are a farmer, there is plenty in The Old Farmer’s 2008 Almanac to keep you reading all through the year in the pages of the 216th edition of the publication. Growing minicrops and popcorn, cultivating fragrant flowers, breeding pigs, regional forecasts, frosts and growing seasons, and a peek at some wild weather — the almanac’s biggest prediction this year that bears heeding in 2008 — are just some of the articles geared toward those who make a living off of the land.

If you are not a farmer, the almanac still offers plenty of reasons to pick up a copy and keep on turning the pages. A Glossary of Almanac Oddities clarifies those odd notations in the calendar pages such as Plough Monday in January, Three Chilly Saints Day in May, Cat Nights, and Halcyon Days. Curious? Turn to pages 142 and 143 of the 2008 Almanac for enlightenment.

“The Wonders of Blunders” is an article by Nick D’Alto that glorifies happy accidents, while David Neal Keller’s “Johnny Vander WHO?” article puts the “who” back into a long-ago National League pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds.

People of all ilk will be pleased by the plain and simple recipes that showcase fresh foods, whether home grown or selected at the local farmers’ market. Tips for selling and buying that produce come in handy, as well.

Amusements, folklore, and health tips are sprinkled through the edition, as always, and an astronomy 101 article is the perfect lead-in to the heart of the Farmer’s Almanac, the calendar pages.

What will happen in the heavens above in 2008 and how to interpret those starry predictions is methodically laid out on pages 110 to 141. Sunrise, moonrise, length of each and every day (no matter where you live), and the many feasts, fasts, and tides from November of this year to the final day of December 2008 are there for the gleaning. Every eclipse and meteor shower is listed, and where to find Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Mercury, and Saturn in the sky during any month can be found on pages 102 and 103 this year.

What will happen in the heavens is made clear, but what will happen on solid ground in 2008? This year’s Farmer’s Almanac makes a case for cyclical weather disturbances in years that end in “8.” Weather patterns that occur monthly, yearly, or seasonally affect conditions all over the world, and history suggests that years ending in “8” seem to fall under the influence of those patterns. Paralyzing snowstorms, devastating floods and hurricanes, ice storms, tornadoes and hailstorms increase in fury and number. Could 2008 be in for record heat and storms? The Farmer’s Almanac holds some answers.

So too, The Old Farmer’s Almanac proves itself, once again, the truest friend. Look for it at newsstands, bookstores, and anywhere magazines are sold. Available as of September 12, at $5.99 it is an old-fashioned bargain that fits new-fashioned advice. Hard copy too quaint? Check Almanac.com for The Old Farmer’s Almanac online.