Every year, The Old Farmer’s Almanac contains nuggets of wisdom for farmers, garden hobbyists, and the average citizen alike. This year is no different, and the 200+ year-old publication even included essays meant to educate and enlighten all readers.

Even though the essay topics change every year, some would say the most important aspect of the almanac is the weather predictions, which claims the Northeast will have a mild and dry winter, and a hot and dry summer.

The almanac states for the Atlantic Corridor, which most of Connecticut resides in, “Winter temperatures will be above normal, while precipitation and snowfall will be below normal.” Residents can expect cold periods in mid- to late December and early and late January. It claims the snowiest periods will be in late December, early January, and late February.

Summer 2026 will be “hotter and drier than normal,” according to the book, “The hottest periods will be in early June and early and mid-July. Watch out for tropical storms in late June and mid-August.” It adds that September and October will be cooler and drier than normal.

The predicted last frost of the 2026 spring season is April 27, and the first fall frost is predicted October 10, illustrating those lower-than-average temperatures for October next year.

The almanac also shared insights into astronomical events for the upcoming year, including an annular eclipse of the sun, total eclipse of the moon, total eclipse of the sun, and partial eclipse of the moon. The first event, the annular eclipse of the sun, will be February 17. The almanac states it will not be visible from North America, and only partially visible in southern regions of Argentina, Chile, and southern Africa. The path of totality will travel through east Antarctica.

On March 3, a total eclipse of the moon will occur. It will be visible in North America, with best viewing in central or western North America. The moon will enter the penumbra at 3:44 am EST and umbra at 4:50 am EST. It will leave the umbra at 8:17 am EST and the penumbra at 9:23 am EST.

The total eclipse of the sun will occur on August 12, and be only partially visible from Canada and some northern US states. The total eclipse can be viewed from Greenland, Iceland, the Arctic, and Spain. It will begin at 11:34 am EDT and ends at 3:57 EDT. The almanac reminds readers that this event is not safe to look at without proper eye protection, so order some eclipse glasses now.

A few days later, a partial eclipse of the moon will take place through August 27-28. It will be visible from Northern America, though the moon “may be very low on the horizon,” as the almanac states. It will enter the penumbra at 9:22 pm EDT and the umbra at 10:33 pm EDT. The moon will leave the umbra at 1:52 am EDT on August 28 and the penumbra at 3:03 am EDT.

A blue moon is expected in May 2026, with two full moons on May 1 and May 31.

Health Benefits Of Honey

Every year, the almanac includes educational essays meant to teach its readers about various topics. One of these essays extensively researched the history, uses, and health benefits of honey.

“Sweet Sensation, the Healing Power of Honey” by Faye Wolfe starts off by saying that honey has been depicted in 15,000-year-old cave drawings, and possibly helped homo sapiens evolve.

Wolfe writes, “Rightly or wrongly, honey has been said to cure earaches, gout, hair loss, snake bites, and sore eyes.” Wolfe also mentions Reverend Charles Butler’s claim that honey can be used as an aphrodisiac.

Honey is still widely regarded as a medicinal product and is being explored in potential treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections, herpes, and COVID-19. The scope of exploration has expanded to breast cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, conjunctivitis, heartburn, and menopause.

“Honey was commonly used to dress wounds, and recent research indicates that New Zealand’s manuka honey … seems to be effective for that purpose,” Wolfe writes. Wolfe then describes how many bees produce honey, and though there are 30,000 different species of bees, only four percent make honey.

To learn more about this pantry staple, be sure to read all about it in The Old Farmer’s Almanac.

‘The Art And Science Of Leftovers’

“Unfinished Business” by Sarah Perreault is all about “the art and science of leftovers.” This short essay details the history of leftovers and how modern-day civilians have adapted with advances in technology.

Ancestors used methods like fermenting, salting, and drying to store food and keep it edible, but as the popularity and availability of home refrigeration soared, so did the art of leftovers.

Perreault recommends readers use their senses to inspect leftovers to ensure quality and safety of food, with some guidelines of how long to keep food for:

*Cooked chicken, fish/shellfish, lamb chops, and stuffed pork are good for 1-2 days in the fridge;

*Cooked meat pieces/patties/nuggets, casseroles, gravy, broth, soups, stews, egg dishes, egg, chicken, tuna, ham, and pasta salads are good for 3-4 days;

*And cooked whole ham and hard-cooked eggs are good for 7 days.

Other Noteworthy Essays

For those who love to read or learn, The Old Farmer’s Almanac covers many other topics. There is a poignant essay about the prevalence of space junk, a historical piece about Mary Pickersgill, and an informational piece about the sugar bush.

The almanac covers astrology, not just astronomy, fishing (stories, a how-to guide for knot tying, and best days), and landscapes curated and maintained by women in history. Every page has information for the both the common man and the commercial farmer.

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Reporter Sam Cross can be reached at sam@thebee.com.