A Gardener’s Friend – The Old Farmer’s Almanac 2009
 (Read 50+ times)
By Agnes Farside
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Every year I purchase a copy of the annual The Old Farmer’s Almanac. Besides the multitude of advertisements, The Old Farmer’s Almanac contains articles on farming, gardening, weather, and astrology. It lists the phases of the moon, how to determine the sunrise and sunset for your area, and provides a farmer’s calendar for the coming year. It was established in 1792 by Robert B. Thomas, and has been a reliable source for farmers and gardeners ever since.
The 2009 Old Farmer’s Almanac contains an interesting article on global warming, with a different take on what may be causing this event. The article notes several scientific studies relating to sunspots, when they occur, and how they relate to the Earth’s climate. What is particularly interesting about this article is the timeline from 1895 to present day stating predictions of global warming by various newspapers and events.
Another page gives the dates, times, and best viewing areas for upcoming eclipses of the sun and moon; while yet other pages list which stars and planets will be their brightest on specific days and at specific times.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac contains a complete calendar of the coming year, depicting sunrises, sunsets, moon phases, high tides, holidays, and much more. A person may also find a noteworthy or historical event, folklore, or even poems and proverbs inserted in between the weather predictions and moon phases.
The 2009 issue also contains an interesting article on growing tomatoes, providing information on planting, watering, and picking tomatoes, as well as instructions on how to save the tomato seeds. It begins with a small story about Dan McMurray, a Canadian and former lighthouse keeper, who grows over 400 varieties of tomatoes, all from seeds. He normally has two dozen long rows of tomato plants, and this past growing season yielded over 4,000 pounds of the juicy red vegetable.
Another helpful page is the one entitled “Frosts and Growing Seasons.” It lists the number of days per growing season for a specific area, when to expect the first frost of fall and the last frost in spring. All dates are the average for the specific area, with a 50 percent probability of the frost coming before or after the identified date.
All in all The Old Farmer’s Almanac makes for an informative, entertaining read, that paired with a hot cup of herbal tea, and a cozy throw, makes for an enjoyable winter’s evening.
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Author Bio Box: Agnes Farside
 Please read some of my other articles at http://www.associatedcontent.com/user/110407/agnes_farside.html
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