THE 2022 OLD FARMER’ S ALMANAC A R R I V E S W I T H A C H I LL I N G W I N T ER WARNING :

“SEASON OF SHIVERS!” According to the latest edition, this winter will be punctuated by positively bone-chilling, below-
average temperatures across most of the U.S. It also features stories of small farmers, award-winning
five-ingredient recipes, the cold truth about hail, the art of animal tracking, and more!
AVA I L A B LE BE G I N N I N G AUG UST 31, 2 02 1

THE ORIGINAL FARMER’S ALMANAC

“USEFUL, WITH A PLEASANT DEGREE OF HUMOR”
“NEW, USEFUL, AND ENTERTAINING MATTER” • ALMANAC.COM

ALSO FEATURING ASTRONOMICAL TABLES, TIDES, HOLIDAYS, ECLIPSES, ETC.

NO.
2 30

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2022 ®

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FOUNDED IN

1792

WINTER

AUTUMN

W E ATHER FORECA STS

FOR 18 REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES

S U N, M O O N, S T A R S, A N D P L A N E T S

“THIS COMING WINTER IN SOME PLACES, the super ABOVE-AVERAGE SNOWFALL MEANWHILE, most western
could well be one of the cold of the coming winter is also in the forecast areas will remain relatively
longest and coldest that will also bring lots of snow. along a track from eastern dry, with all but the Pacific
we’ve seen in years,” says This extreme wintry mix Montana southward Coast and portions of
Janice Stillman, editor of is expected in areas of through the western halves the Southwest experiencing
The Old Farmer’s Almanac. New England as well as of the Dakotas and into the frigid cold predicted
For 230 years, the Almanac throughout the Ohio Valley, northeastern Colorado. for much of the rest of
has been helping readers in northern portions of While temperatures in this the country.
to prepare for winter’s the Deep South, and in midcountry strip will be
worst conditions with southeast New Mexico. relatively normal, snowfall
its 80 percent–accurate will be abundant, with
weather forecasts. several storms predicted
throughout the winter.

C ONTAC T: G ING ER VAU G H A N , GINGE R@QUINNBRE IN.C OM, 360-620-9107

 In addition to its much-anticipated weather forecasts,
The Old Farmer’s Almanac is known for being “useful, with a pleasant
degree of humor.” Highlights from the 2022 Almanac include . . .
GARDENING TIPS for GARDENING

growing a rainbow of
dahlias or a patch of Dazzling Dahlias, GARDENING

DARLINGS OF SUMMER
pumpkins (hint: the
bumpier the skin, the BEYOND
sweeter the taste!), plus THE PUMPKIN
how to make scents of Secrets for
success with
fancy cucurbits
PATCH
potpourri. THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THE FIRST
BY SUSAN PEERY

HOT DAYS OF SPRING WHEN THE GARDENER

FOOD STOPS WONDERING IF IT’S TOO SOON
TO PLANT THE DAHLIAS AND STARTS
WONDERING IF IT’S TOO LATE.
DAZZLE US WITH
FOUR SEASONS –Henry Mitchell (1923–93), garden columnist

RECIPES that make the

YOUR DAHLIAS! SHOW OFF
and author of The Essential Earthman

OF GREAT TASTE
Post pics at YOUR SQUASHES!
(Indiana University Press, 2003)
@theoldfarmersalmanac Post pics of your
pumpkins and squashes at
BY SARAH PERREAULT, ALMANAC FOOD EDITOR @theoldfarmersalmanac

most of the season, along

Whether fall, winter, spring, or summer, each season brings its own
Photo: brainstorm1962/Getty Images
42 43
bounty of flavors and benefits. Not only do fresh fruit and vegetables
taste better in season, but also they are often more nutritious than
produce that has been stored for weeks or even months. Choose and
use each season’s best with a little help from these recipes. As the

with award-winning dishes

year rolls along, be sure to check out additional seasonal recipes by
searching for key ingredients at Almanac.com/Cooking. 32 Photo: Evgeniya Vlasova/GAP Photos 33

FALL

and desserts that use five 4 cups pumpkin,

PUM PKIN PICKLES
Use a “cooking” type of pumpkin—usually called “sugar pumpkins”
or “pie pumpkins.” They’re round and small.
Steam pumpkin until barely tender, about 10 minutes

or fewer ingredients!
peeled and cut (don’t let pumpkin touch the boiling water or it will
into bite-size get mushy). Drain thoroughly and set aside.
cubes
11⁄2 cups sugar In a saucepan, combine sugar, vinegar, cloves, and
11⁄2 cups apple cinnamon and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
cider vinegar Add pumpkin, return to a simmer, cover, and cook
10 whole cloves for 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and leave
2 sticks cinnamon pumpkin in the syrup; refrigerate for 24 hours.
N AT U R E
Heat mixture to simmering and cook for 5 minutes.
Remove spices and pack pumpkin into sterilized

DISPATCHES from small

pint jars, then fill with the syrup. Seal and process
for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.
SPECIAL REPORT Makes about 3 pints. (continued)

farmers, including how WHAT’S IN SEASON?

This depends on where you live. Your local farmers’ markets and
THE ART
GROWING FARMERS SHARE THEIR STORIES,
INSPIRATION, DREAMS, AND ADVICE.
co-ops will always have the best tastes of the season. Also, many
grocery stores now have an “in season” area in the produce section. AND SCIENCE
they fared during 2020 TOGETHER
By Stacey Kusterbeck
68 Photo: HandMadePictures/Getty Images
OF ANIMAL 69
and Karen Davidson
TRACKING
and continue to diversify S U’ S F A R M I NG
SIMCOE, ONTARIO

for the future. I

“ f I’m awake, I’m working,” says taurateurs who buy wholesale at the
Henry Su, a Canadian-born Chi- Ontario Food Terminal—or at least
nese farmer. He grew up on his im- did until the COVID-19 virus struck.
migrant parents’ farm in Simcoe and Restaurants closed. Neighborhood
while a teenager enjoyed a career as a stores had little foot traffic. Zucchini
competitive figure skater. and aubergines had no takers. Su
Figure eights behind him, he’s con- was skating on thin ice.
tinuing the family brand started 30 “In 2019, the buyers said, ‘We can
years ago; today, he nurtures 7 to 10 take all of the zucchini that you can

THE ART AND SCIENCE

acres of eggplants (aka aubergines) grow.’ In 2020, we couldn’t give it
and several more of zucchini. away,” says Su wistfully.
Producing eggplants with perfect- While pandemic economics saw
ly glossy purple skin is a summer- eggplants and zucchini fall out of fa- 90
90
long challenge. As Su explains, wind- vor for food businesses, Su continues BY R. SCOTT SEMMENS

of animal tracking, plus whipped leaves can easily scratch

the fruit’s complexion, so about mid-
season, the lower leaves are removed
by hand to ensure the produce’s ap-
to hope that consumers will try more
adventuresome ingredients in home
cooking. Asian eggplant is an appeal-
ing option.
H
umans have been animal tracking since the dawn of our
species. The ancient art and science of animal tracking
has its practical uses even today. There are two aspects
of animal tracking: (1) studying the tracks and signs that

how to read Mother

peal to the diverse population of the “Eggplant is the perfect vessel for animals leave behind, which is like reading the headlines about
Toronto area. flavor,’ says Su, who remains deter- an animal, and (2) trailing an animal with the hope of seeing it
While Italians seem to favor thick- mined to carry on. while you remain undetected. (continued)
skin Sicilian varieties of eggplant, After all, one bad year is a blip in
Asians prefer the thin, violet-color the history of the eggplant, which has

Nature’s signs to choose Chinese long varieties or round,

midnight-purple Indian eggplants for
their softer flesh. These are also in
demand by the green grocers and res-
been grown in China since at least the
T’ang dynasty—A.D. 618. Undaunted,
Su plans to perpetuate its legacy.
(continued)
168

2017 TRENDS
Photo: habrda/Getty Images 169

a fishing spot. 2022 TRENDS

58 Photo: Su’s Farming 59
FACTS TO PONDER AND FORECASTS TO WATCH FOR
Compiled by Stacey Kusterbeck

ECO-CONSCIOUS
FARMERS ARE: BY THE NUMBERS
• leaving grasslands
$580: 6 months’
undisturbed to leave rent for two egg-

ALL THIS AWAITS in the 2022 Almanac, along with stories

carbon in the soil, laying hens and a
in exchange for chicken coop
carbon credits (which
$4,100: average
companies buy to offset cost of U.S.

about gargantuan hail (is it becoming more common?); the

their own emissions) cropland per acre
PATIENCE, PLEASE!
• joining neighbors
“Order-to-grow will
2.76 million:
to convert a portion square footage of
of their land to bee emerge as a new way to the world’s largest
habitat reduce food waste.” greenhouse (in

50th anniversary of an epic international sports showdown;

–Cecelia Girr, director of Morehead, Ky.)
cultural strategy, TBWA
ON T H E FAR M TECH TOOLS Worldwide More bees,
In-demand software please:
“Municipal and national policies are advancing urban agriculture.”
–Michael Levenston, executive director, City Farmer, Vancouver, B.C.
features for U.S. and THE FUTURE OF FARMING 82.9 million:
•
an examination of teeth, from cradle to grave; the 17-year-
Canadian farmers . . . Vertical farms, pounds of honey

F O R WA R D - T H I N K I N G that offer traceability

• yield mapping hydroponics, produced annually
by Canada’s
aquaponics, and
FARMERS AND RANCHERS B U Z Z WO R D through the supply • crop-input record- greenhouses are
honeybees
keeping
ARE: Farmf luencer: chain.” surging. $1.5 billion:
•
old design genius behind the 50-star American flag; unique
Photos, from top: dragana991/Getty Images; wayra/Getty Images

• renting out livestock a farmer

who promotes
–Gary Joiner, Texas Farm
Bureau
imagery (satellite,
plane, or drone) “More controlled-
value that wild
bee pollination
to families to teach environment
the farming contributes to
children responsibility
lifestyle • getting food to people • weather data agriculture projects seven U.S. crops
or to other farmers to who order directly will be launched.” (apples, highbush
try before buying from the farm:

tourist locations that let visitors get up close to saints,

–Sylvain Charlebois, director, blueberries,
sweet and tart
• using Web sites to CONSUMER-CONSCIOUS “Farmers are trying to Dalhousie University’s
Agri-Food Analytics Lab, cherries, almonds,
accept nutritional FARMERS ARE: obtain an economically Halifax, N.S. watermelons,
•
Photo: julief514/Getty Images

assistance programs getting the feasible solution to sell- pumpkins)

and arrange food word out on their ing online, with delivery COMING SOON 20%: increase in

war heroes, and even Roy Rogers’s horse; 2022 home and
pickup or delivery environmentally or safe central pickup.” Apps that track who is yield if almond
• inviting volunteers friendly practices: –Phil Blalock, executive
director, National Association
growing our food and trees are
bee-pollinated
to do farm chores for “More farmers are of Farmers’ Market Nutrition its maturity stage
increased fitness using programs Programs (continued)

lifestyle trends; and so much more! 6 FOLLOW U S: 7

THE 2022 OLD FARMER’S ALMANAC is available for just $7.99 wherever books and magazines are sold. You can find a
full list of stores where the book is available at Almanac.com/Wheretobuy. Print and digital copies of The 2022 Old Farmer’s
Almanac are also available online at Almanac.com/Shop, the Web stores of local retailers, and Amazon.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac—with its iconic yellow cover and classic corner hole—originates from
Yankee Publishing Inc., an employee-owned company in Dublin, New Hampshire. The Almanac’s editors also
produce the annual Garden Guide, digital monthly magazine EXTRA!, The Old Farmer’s Almanac for Kids
(Vol. 9—all-new and available everywhere in Summer 2021), Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook, and a collection of wall
and desk calendars, including The Old Farmer’s Almanac Planner (formerly the Engagement Calendar), with
an all-new design for 2022! Daily Almanac wit and wisdom are available through Almanac.com, Facebook,
Pinterest, Instagram, and the Amazon Echo and Google Home voice assistants.

EDITOR’S NOTE: To set up an interview or request a print edition of The 2022 Old Farmer’s Almanac, please email
[email protected]. You can also find press materials, cover art, and weather maps at Almanac.com/Media.