225 YEARS OF MAGIC: THE OLD FARMER'S ALMANAC 2017

The hole, left corner, just like always. 

The cashier at the grocery store thoughtfully looked at the Old Farmer's Almanac (OFA) I put on the
conveyor belt.

  "Wow, what a great tool for bloggers. Look at the fascinating information. What is it that you do?"

'I provide entertaining and interesting bus trips for groups and blog about the more unusual aspects of them. " 

"Well, you hit a goldmine here." 

"Really. I'm amazed that you recognize the value of this booklet. Most people your age wouldn't. You must absorb and understand a lot of complicated information." 

"Thanks for the compliment. I'm studying to be a chemist." 

All that from a cursory glance at the publication.

This particular OFA is the Special Anniversary Issue -- celebrating its 225 years. The cover states: Useful, with pleasant degree of humor. Also featuring astronomical, tables, tides, holidays, eclipses, etc. Weather forecasts for the 18 regions of the United States. Sun, Moon, Stars an planets.

It was first published in 1792 and is the longest running periodical in the country. The Founder, Robert B. Thomas, out performed the other Almanac competitors of the time. Smart, he persuaded advertisers to fund the publication. Besides, he had a secret to calculating weather predictions.

Thomas studied solar activity, astronomy cycles and weather patterns then used his research to develop a secret forecasting formula, which is still in use today. Other than the Almanac's prognosticators, few people have seen the formula. It is kept in a black tin box at the Almanac offices in Dublin, New Hampshire. THAT ALONE is reason enough to read it.

Besides, good ole' Abe Lincoln may have used a copy of The Old Farmer's Almanac. In 1858, he used it to argue the innocence of his client, William "Duff" Armstrong, who was on trial for murder in Beardstown, Illinois. Lincoln used an almanac to refute the testimony of Charles Allen, an eyewitness who claimed he had seen the crime by the light of the moon on August 29, 1857.

According to the Almanac, the Moon in the first quarter was riding "low" on the horizon, about to set.  Oh, Lincoln won the case and didn't charge. Armstrong was free. Eventually, he enlisted in the Civil War.

Because the actual almanac used in the trial was not retained for posterity, no one's sure if The Old Farmer's Almanac was the one used or another. In 2007, a competing almanac, the Farmers' Almanac, based in Lewiston, Maine, ran an article claiming that the almanac in question may have been theirs. Who knows for sure. It's great publicity though and fascinating to history buffs like me.

But wait, there's more. The Smithsonian Magazine reported that during World War II, a German spy was apprehended in New York with a copy of the 1942 Old Farmer's Almanac in his pocket. Probably for the weather predictions that the enemy could use for potential bombing.

Because of the magic number 225 years in biz, even heads of nations have something to say about the OF.A

On page 8, President Obama issued a congratulatory message " ... inspirited our curiosity about science and our enthusiasm for knowledge and has continuously fueled the American spirit of ingenuity and invention."

While on page 9, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trueau's thoughtful message " ... engage North Americans with useful and discerning content, including localiszed insights into weather, farming, astronomy ..."

The cashier broke our thoughts: 

"Look at the essay contest winners in the back. Wow. I'm going to enter my writing. It's not for the cash prize but for the recognition. Companies that I am seeking to work for understand the prestige that this little book carries. Thanks for much for bringing this to my attention here on the store's belt. Happy New Year."