Since the 18th century, farmer’s almanacs have offered their readers a host of useful tidbits, from tide tables to astronomical data, recipes to gardening tips, anecdote and quotes. But these almanacs are perhaps best known for their weather predictions. The Farmer’s Almanac (first edited by David Young in 1818) and the only slightly older Old Farmer’s Almanac (first edited by Robert B. Thomas in 1792) each rely on secret mathematical and astronomical formulae, including sunspot activity, tidal action, planetary position and other factors to predict weather years in advance. But lately, prognosticators are facing a variable that Messrs Young and Thomas didn’t predict: global climate change. In his piece in the Washington Post, Fogging Up Those Old-Time Forecasts, David A. Farhenthold examines the response (and in some cases the lack of response) of almanacs to the issue of climate change. As Farhenthold suggests, these almanac prognosticators eschew modern scientific technology and techniques, looking instead “for clues in the timeless rhythms of nature.” These old (and, let’s be honest, adorable) techniques, such as looking to see how high the wasps are building their nests this year, how vigorously squirrels are foraging for nuts and whether Puxnatawny Phil sees his shadow (who else loves Groundhog Day?), may be tested in new ways as these ‘timeless rhythms of nature’ are thrown out of whack by increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.
