Virginians rely on The Old Farmer's Almanac or The Farmers' Almanac: What's the difference?

The Old Farmer's AlmanacPhoto byTarget Screenshot

Some Virginians rely on The Old Farmer's Almanac or The Farmers' Almanac. Both publications have been predicting the weather in North America for hundreds of years, but the publications are different in a few ways.

Written differently

• The Old Farmer's Almanac (singular possessive with apostrophe before the s)
• The Farmers' Almanac (plural possessive with apostrophe after the s)

Publication dates

The Old Farmer's Almanac is the oldest published periodical in the United States. It was first published in 1792 by founder Robert Bailey Thomas. The Farmers' Almanac was first published in 1818 by David Young.

Predictions

The Old Farmer's Almanac predicts weather for 18 regions in the U.S. and seven in Canada. The Farmers' Almanac predicts weather for seven regions in the U.S. and five in Canada. The Farmers' Almanac predicts weather up to 16 months in advance.

Satellite tracking

The Old Farmer's Almanac uses satellite tracking equipment, while the Farmers' Almanac does not.

The Old Farmer's Almanac

The Old Farmer's AlmanacPhoto byThe Old Farmer's Almanac Screenshot

The Old Farmer's Almanac includes articles on upcoming weather forecasts, planting charts, astronomical data, recipes, astronomy, healthy living, sports, fashion, food, home, technology, folklore, and friendly advice.

A hole is drilled through the almanac so owners can use a string and hang it from a nail. The initial cost of the publication was only four cents. Today, the publication can be purchased for about $10 or more from some places. The Almanac can be found on all major social media sites. There is also an almanac for kids.

The Farmers' Almanac

The Farmers' AlmanacPhoto byThe Farmers' Almanac/Wikipedia Screenshot

The Farmers' Almanac is not to be confused with The Old Farmer's Almanac. The publication has articles about the weather, full moon dates, folklore, natural remedies, and the best days to do various outdoor activities. It also includes articles about fishing, gardening, cooking, conservation, fun facts, humor, adages, advice, quotes, and proverbs.

The Farmers' Almanac comes with a string in a drilled hole. The almanac has its own website and is on all the major social media sites.