Pam Crooks

From Midwest Lakes to Ocean Views by Pam Crooks

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At this stage in my life, spending time with my children and grandchildren takes far more precedence than most anything else I can think of. Especially in this day and age when a quick text message suffices over a phone call and even a physical visit. Everyone is busy, and if not for pictures snapped on smart phones and sent sailing onto MY smart phone via cell towers (which is a really simplistic way to explain it but you get the idea), I might not see much of my children and grandchildren at all.

I actually blame those cell towers for that. My life was much simpler without those darned cell phones everyone is so obsessed with–and I suspect yours was, too.

Thus, in my quest to spend more time with my family, we have turned toward taking nice family vacations together. The whole bunch. All twenty of us. Every year. It’s my husband’s and my treat, and it’s great incentive to get 100% attendance. These family vacations have been some of my most special memories ever.

Okoboji

One of the earliest vacations we took with the kids was Okoboji. Located in northwest Iowa’s Great Lakes region and only three hours away from us, Okoboji has long been a family friendly favorite around here. Lake Okoboji is a big, beautiful lake, and nearby Fillenwarth Beach offers their “Million Dollar Home Cruise” and “Booze Cruise” with special drinks for kids and adults alike, including platters of crackers and cheese to snack on. Of course, there’s biking, hiking, and even an amusement park in nearby Arnold’s Park. Something for everyone.

Honey Creek Resort

Honey Creek Resort is a southern Iowa lake retreat on Rathbun Lake, offering lodge rooms, cottages, outdoor recreation, golf, trails, and family-friendly amenities in a state-park setting, again only a few hours away. We rented cottages and had our own cul-de-sac for bike riding, cooking out, and game-playing. I do know they have been having some financial troubles, and if so, I’m hopeful they get those worked out soon, if they haven’t already. We loved going there over several summers.

Ponca State Park

For our more rustic vacation, we drove up north to Ponca State Park and rented cottages all tucked into the bluffs above the Missouri River. We enjoyed great river views, hiking, biking, kids activities, and so on. Again, only a few hours away from us and kid-friendly.

Bahamas Cruise

Last year, my husband and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary with our biggest vacation yet – a cruise to the Bahamas. Oh, my goodness. It didn’t get any better than that, especially since no one in the family had been on a cruise before. Seeing their wide-eyed amazement at how BIG the ship was, all the food they could eat, the shows, the pools…

It was so wonderful, we went again. In fact, we only got home a couple of days ago, and since I’m still on a cruise euphoria, I was inspired to write this blog and share our vacations with all of you!

Now that this year’s vacation is over, I’d love to hear about your vacation favorites. (I need ideas for next year, and the year after that . . .)

The Woman on the Ledge ~ by Pam Crooks

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When we think of heroes of the Old West, we often picture someone on horseback, wearing a badge, or standing tall with a rifle in hand.

But sometimes a hero wears a long skirt, climbs through a window in the middle of a hurricane, and reaches into raging floodwater to save strangers.

The Great Storm of 1900

For those who have never been to Galveston, Texas, (I haven’t!) it’s located on a long, skinny-looking island on the southernmost edge of Texas with Galveston Bay on one side and the Gulf of America on the other. It’s pretty and scenic, and lots of cruise ships sail from there.  But the island is notoriously only a few feet above sea level, which makes it very prone to disasters.

Especially more so in 1900.

The Hurricane

On September 8, 1900, a devastating hurricane struck Galveston. Known today as the Great Storm of 1900, it remains one of the deadliest natural disasters in American history. Thousands perished as wind and water swept across the island, destroying homes, businesses, churches, and families in a matter of hours. The Galveston Historical Foundation notes that at least 6,000 people died, many by drowning or beneath collapsing debris. But because records were incomplete and entire families vanished, other sources estimate the death toll was even higher at 8,000 or even 12,000.  Yikes!

At the time, Galveston was a thriving island city—wealthy, busy, and important as a port. When the hurricane came ashore, storm tides of roughly 8 to 15 feet swept across the island. NOAA describes winds over 130 mph and a 15-foot storm surge.  Another yikes!

But as often happens, in the aftermath of unspeakable tragedy, stories of courage rise up like cream from fresh milk.

The Schoolteacher

One story remains today, 126 years later. Some say the story is legend. Others claim it’s real. But for the story to linger so long, with so many details to make it believable, I’d like to think this heroine deserves her place in the history books.

The story goes that a young schoolteacher took shelter inside the Hutchings, Sealy & Company Bank building on the Strand. The building was built in the 1890s and was one of the structures that survived the 1900 storm. It’s still in existence today.

As the storm surge rose—some accounts say as high as seventeen feet—the schoolteacher found herself above a city enveloped in darkness. I’d love to know how she got there, or if she was alone, but from the third floor, she climbed through a window and balanced on a narrow ledge. (You can see the ledges in the picture.) Then, instead of staying safely inside, she reached down toward the raging waters and pulled people from the water, one by one, and dragged them into the building.

Can you imagine the terror she might have felt? The roar of wind, the crash of debris, the screams of those being swept past? The darkness. The rain. The knowledge that one wrong move could send her into the flood, too?

Or maybe she didn’t feel any terror at all. Maybe she was so driven to help that her heroics took over and banished all fear from her head.

Some stories say she cared for survivors for several days afterward before dying of fever. Others say her name was lost to history, though later tellings call her Sara. Or Sarah. Because her identity is uncertain, we may never know whether her story is true.

I find that part frustrating. Of all the people she helped, and for several days after, no one thought to ask her name? Maybe at the time, names weren’t important, but “Sarah” does seem consistent, even though her last name has been lost forever.  And how sad that her family might never have known how heroic she was. Or how many lives she’d saved. Maybe her family all perished, and that makes the whole thing even more sad.

But I guess, writing about her in this blog, and reading it, is another way we can honor her, right?

Have you heard about Sarah, the schoolteacher, and her legend?

What kind of hero would you be? Quiet and unassuming? Or would you be okay doing interviews in front of TV cameras and on social media?  🙂 

If you had been in that bank building during the storm, do you think you would have had the courage to reach out and help?

Have you or someone close to you ever done anything heroic?

Have you ever been in a hurricane?

When the Sky Turned Black by Pam Crooks

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A couple of weeks ago, my daughter told us about Kanopy, a video streaming service where one can watch movies for kids and adults free of charge with a library card or a university login.

Here’s what Kanopy says that it offers: documentaries, foreign films, classic cinema, independent films and educational videos that inspire, enrich and entertain. We partner with public libraries and universities to bring you an ad-free experience that can be enjoyed on your TV, mobile phone, tablets and online.  https:/www.kanopy.com

So we opened an account–super easy–and since my daughter mentioned she’d watched The Dust Bowl by Ken Burns, we did, too.  We were able to keep the documentary for 72 hours.

I’d heard about The Dust Bowl for years, and while it’s not the most popular documentary Ken Burns has directed (The Civil War is), the show was riveting and informative. The video contains amazing film, photographs, and–my favorite of all–input from survivors who shared their memories as children.

How the Dust Bowl Started:

During World War I and continuing into the 1920s, the Great Plains enjoyed a wheat boom where the crop was plentiful and prices were high. Buoyed by this prosperity, farmers attained even more acres and plowed them under, a plan they couldn’t have foreseen would lead to the biggest man-made ecological disaster in America’s history.

Those deep-rooted grasses had held the soil in place for centuries. When the rains stopped in the 1930s, the exposed land turned to powder–literally–and the constant wind wreaked havoc. Crops failed, cattle suffocated, and children were sickened from breathing dust-filled air. People stuffed wet rags around windows and doors, yet the dirt still came in, coating dishes, beds, and even babies in their cribs. The film doesn’t shy away from the horrific emotional toll, either. Some who were so overwhelmed from the stress, poverty, and unrelenting hardship, took their own lives to end the despair.  Including a seven-year-old boy.

Unimaginable heartbreak.

On April 14, 1935—Black Sunday—a massive dust storm rolled across the region, causing blizzards so thick they blotted out the sun. People hid inside their homes and truly believed it was the end of the world. Can you blame them?

Our president at the time, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was dedicated to doing what he could to help.  He brought on Hugh Hammond Bennett, a soil scientist known as the “father of soil conservation.” Bennett urged farmers to abandon harmful plowing methods and adopt practices that would save the soil before more of the Plains blew away.

How the Dust Bowl Ended:

Eventually, farmers–who initially resisted Bennett’s advice to change their plowing methods–eventually came around to give them a try.  And they worked. The land didn’t heal overnight, but his soil saving practices helped reduce erosion, hold more moisture in the ground, and made farming more sustainable. Bennett gave people hope that, with better care, the Plains could still produce crops instead of simply blowing away.

At last, the rains began to return in 1939, bringing relief and signaling the end of the worst years the Plains had ever endured.

The worst of the Dust Bowl struck the southern Great Plains, especially southeastern Colorado, southwestern Kansas, northeastern New Mexico, and the panhandles of Oklahoma and Texas.  By 1940, about 2.5 million people had moved out of the Plains states, making it one of the largest migrations in American history.

 

Did anyone in your family ever share stories about the Dust Bowl years?

Have you ever heard a personal story from someone who lived through the Great Depression or the Dust Bowl?

Babies, Babies, & More Babies ~ By Pam Crooks

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It’s Women’s History Month!

Every year, by presidential proclamation, March is designated Women’s History Month in which the entire month is set aside to honor women’s contributions in American history.

Here on this blog, we’ve featured many women throughout the west who have made a name for themselves in some way. Calamity Jane, Belle Starr, Annie Oakley, Stagecoach Mary… the list goes on and on.

But I recently came across a different woman who wasn’t from the west. In fact, she was from the south–Georgia, to be exact–but she certainly made plenty of contributions in her life to make her worthy of honor and notoriety during Women’s History Month.

Mary Francis Hill Coley was an African-American woman born in 1900 in rural Baker County, Georgia. She learned midwifery at a young age through an apprenticeship instead of attending formal medical school. By her early adulthood, she’d gained enough hands-on experience to achieve the reputation of being one of the most trusted and compassionate midwives serving the communities around Albany, earning the loving name of “Miss Mary.”

“Every baby is a little bit of heaven sent down to earth.”

As most of us with children probably already know, babies don’t decide to be born conveniently during the daytime. Many a husband came knocking on Mary’s door in the middle of the night, frantic that his wife had gone into labor and needed help. Mary kept her medical bag ready on her nightstand. With bag in hand, she’d put on her coat and head out, oftentimes walking long distances down dark country roads if transportation wasn’t available.

“The baby is not the only patient.”

But she did more than just deliver babies. She also:

• provided prenatal guidance, including strongly advising regular doctor visits for crucial examinations at her clinic
• helped families prepare for delivery by offering them a box of linens, baby clothes, and reading materials
• assisted mothers during long home labors, checking them carefully under sanitary conditions
• cared for both mother and newborn for several hours afterward, giving advice, aiding in breastfeeding, and after care.

You’re probably wondering if she had children of her own. She sure did. In 1930, she married Ashley Coley, a carpenter, and they went on to have ten children together. Then, for reasons not revealed, he up and left her to raise those ten kids by herself.

Can you imagine?

But she endured, thanks to her successful midwifery and practical nursing career. While serving her community, she was still able to support her large family as well as buy her own home, a car, a telephone, supplies for emergencies, and even hire an assistant to help with births and visits.

In the early 1950s, the Georgia Department of Public Health wanted to create a documentary film about safe childbirth practices to educate midwives. The result was “All My Babies: A Midwife’s Own Story” (1953), directed by George C. Stoney. Mary Coley was chosen as the central figure – not actors – and the film was used for years to train midwives across the United States and internationally. It was the first time the general public was able to view a real birth on screen, and today the film is considered one of the most important public-health documentaries ever made.

I watched the black-and-white film on YouTube. Mary is very loving, soft-spoken, and efficient as she cares for two separate mothers ready to give birth as well as postpartum. Her knowledge of the importance of sanitation was clear in her work, whether it was washing her hands, boiling her instruments, using freshly-laundered linens or sanitized cloths to clean both mother and baby.

By the time she died in 1966, according to her grandson, she had raised eleven children and delivered 3,700 babies, many of them documented on a large bulletin board in her clinic.

She’s certainly deserving to be honored during Women’s History Month, don’t you think?

If you’ve ever given birth, did you use a midwife at home? A doula? Or did you prefer a hospital setting?  Was there someone with you that you couldn’t have done without?

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Have You Had This Culinary Combo? By Pam Crooks

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Chili and Cinnamon Rolls!

We’re smack-dab in the middle of winter, many of us are suffering from the cold and snow, and that means it’s soup and chili time!

It’s funny how different parts of the country have their renowned favorites that others who live even a few states away have never heard of. Remember Runzas that I blogged about several months ago? (You can view it HERE if you haven’t already.) Many of you were unfamiliar with such a thing even though Runzas are hugely popular in the Midwest.

Chili and Cinnamon Rolls are another phenomenon around here, one I hadn’t heard of myself until a number of years ago. Since then, I’m learning how hugely popular the unusual combination is, especially in school cafeterias, as a fundraiser feature, in restaurants, and even at Nebraska Husker football tailgates.

The first reference was found in 1905, and then another popped up in California in 1953. They were noticeably not common at the time, however, until Congress passed the National School Lunch Act in 1946, whereby the USDA included chili in its recipes-for-schools collections. Shortly thereafter, schools in Greeley, Colorado, were the first to serve the combo to their students. There’s even a story told that loggers had a bowl of chili poured over a cinnamon roll in the morning before they headed out for a long day of logging.

My husband and I grew up in Nebraska during this time, and neither of our schools’ cafeterias offered the pair. It was likely not until the advent of folks raving online decades later that spurred the popularity of such an unusual combination.  That and word of mouth from popular local restaurants.

Never heard of them? What is the appeal, you ask?

It’s all about the contrast of the salty, slightly spicy texture of the chili with the soft dough sweetened with sugar and cinnamon. If you want to get scientific about it, the sugar and butter cool the chili’s capsaicin, and the sweet-and-salty elevate the taste of the cinnamon.

There are several ways to eat the pairing:

  1. Eat them separately with the cinnamon roll as dessert. My daughter will let her kids have half the cinnamon roll first, then once their chili is gone, they can have the other half of the roll. 🙂
  2. Use pieces of the roll to dip into–or scoop up–the chili.
  3. Simply alternate bites of chili and cinnamon roll.
  4. Crumble the roll like a cracker and sprinkle on top or stir into the chili.
  5.  Or (and this is what I like to do) put the cinnamon roll in a bowl and pour the chili on top.

I have eaten them every way except #4. But trust me, the combo is delicious any way you do it.

Have you ever heard of Chili and Cinnamon Rolls? Have you had them?

What is the strangest food combo you’ve tried – and liked?

 

To stay up on our latest releases and have some fun, too, join our Facebook Reader Group HERE!

 

Cowgirls in the Kitchen – Pam Crooks

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The fillies love sharing their favorite recipes, and I’m happy to be the first to kick off our new “Cowgirls in the Kitchen” series featuring cookies with a little bit of a different flair.

I found my Peanut Butter and Cheez-It Cookie recipe in a Midwest Living magazine recently, and the combo immediately caught my eye.  Who doesn’t love peanut butter and cheese together? These still taste like peanut butter cookies, and the crushed crackers blend in beautifully.  Add in the peanut butter chips (I also had chocolate chips), and what’s not to love?

 

Peanut Butter and Cheez-It Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter, plus more for topping
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 cups bite-size cheese crackers, crushed
  • 3/4 cup peanut butter-flavor chips
  • 16 whole bite-size cheese crackers for topping, if desired

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°. Line two or three cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine peanut butter, granulated sugar, butter, and brown sugar. Beat on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.

  2. Add milk, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, and salt; beat on low to combine. Add eggs, one at a time, followed by flour, beating on low to combine after each addition. Stir in crushed crackers and peanut butter chips.

  3. Divide dough into 16 equal portions (about 1/2 cup per cookie). Shape into 2 1/4- to 2 1/2-inch balls. Place balls about 3 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets. Slightly flatten each ball into a 3-inch round, reshaping edges if needed. Top each cookie with a dab of peanut butter and a whole cheese cracker.

  4. Bake one sheet at a time, until light brown and centers appear set, 18 to 22 minutes. (Internal temperature of cookies should be at least 160°.) Cool on cookie sheets 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool completely, about 30 minutes.

Notes:

Be sure to beat the dough for the five minutes instructed. It really does change the texture of the dough, making it creamier, and the cookies bake up nicely.

Sometimes instructions confuse me.  🙂  So when it said 3 1/2 cups crackers, crushed – does that mean 3 1/2 cups BEFORE crushing or after?  So I measured out the 3 1/2 cups of crackers and THEN crushed them.  Worked perfectly.

I baked the cookies in two sizes – 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup portions – before rolling into balls and flattening them.  The 1/2 cup size bakes up like a monster cookie, and both portion sizes are thick and chewy.  I did use my thermometer to check for temperature since the dough was so thick.

My grocery store didn’t have peanut butter chips, only a  peanut butter chip and chocolate chip combo.  I love the addition of the chocolate!

Also, I garnished the bigger cookies with a dollop of peanut butter and a cracker as suggested, but I didn’t bother with the smaller sizes.  Totally your preference!

As the instructions state, this batch only makes 16 cookies if you make them full size.  More, of course if you use smaller spoonfuls.  I hope you enjoy!

Vintage Westerns–Starring Elizabeth Taylor? By Pam Crooks

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I recently watched the 3-part docuseries, “Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar” on Fox Nation and loved it. Produced by Kim Kardashian (who surprised me with the depth of research and her skill in presenting so much information on the superstar, some of it never seen before), the series held me riveted each night.

I suspect many of you grew up during Elizabeth Taylor’s heyday like I did and were as enraptured by her stunning beauty, long list of movies, and those leading men who could just about lead ME anywhere they wanted, again like I was. 🙂

I don’t know of any woman who had seven husbands with eight marriages, do you? Her son, Chris Wilding, interviewed at length during the shows, proclaimed Elizabeth as a good mother. I was a bit amazed by that. His childhood, along with that of his three siblings, couldn’t have been easy with the tabloids proclaiming her scandalous affairs and revolving door of husbands. She didn’t give her children a stable family life, in my opinion. But he did say he was sent away to boarding school (I’m not sure about the other three), so perhaps that was Elizabeth’s way of protecting him somewhat from the repercussions of her famous, super-star, self-centered life.

When I think of her, I always remember her diamonds, red lipstick, that mole on her right cheek, and her incredible beauty. Her acting talent isn’t on my list, but the movie moguls during the last half of the 20th century would disagree with me. Universal Studios contracted her when she was ten years old, and MGM shortly thereafter, grooming her to become a major child star. She went on to make 72 films and television projects between 1942 and 2001.

Since she acted in lots of classic Hollywood dramas (remember Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) and big historical productions like Cleopatra, out of those 72 films, only two were westerns. Interesting, since westerns were in their heyday during their time.

1. Giant (1956)

A Western drama set in Texas that spans 25 years. Rock Hudson is a wealthy cattle baron, and Elizabeth Taylor plays his wife. James Dean is a rebellious ranch hand who strikes oil and also becomes rich, and the rivalry between the two men spans the length of the film. Giant was James Dean’s last film before he died.

2. Poker Alice (1987)

Not the sprawling epic film of her previous western, this TV movie is more character-driven with Elizabeth portraying Alice Moffitt who is a traveling gambler in the Old West. George Hamilton plays her cousin. She wins a house during a poker game, and the house turns out to be a bordello. Doesn’t that sound fun? Throw in a bounty hunter cousin to George Hamilton who competes for Alice’s attention, and there’s plenty of romance and tension to keep the movie interesting.

Elizabeth Taylor died in 2011 of complications from congestive heart failure at the age of 79. At the time of her passing, she was surrounded by her children, but none of her seven husbands were at her side.

When you think of Elizabeth Taylor, what do you remember about her? Have you seen either of her western movies? Do you have a favorite?

Toast the Holidays with Pam Crooks

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I think most of us enjoy a cup of hot cocoa now and again, but this recipe is one of the best!  I’ve been making it for years, and my favorite part is the crushed candy canes, which gives the hot cocoa that subtle mint-ey taste that sets it apart from the rest. Even better, there’s no cooking on the stove. Use as much as you want, when you want.

It makes a great little gift, too, when you need something special for that special someone.  Fill a jar, add a tag, and you’re done!

I often make this after the holidays when there are leftover candy canes that need to be used.

Peppermint Mocha Hot Chocolate Mix

  • 1/2 cup instant mocha-flavored coffee
  • 1/2 cup dry nondairy creamer
  • 1/4 cup baking cocoa
  • 1 1/3 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy.  (I use 3 regular size candy canes)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients in blender. Process until blended. Store in a jar or airtight container.

Add 2 Tb. mix to 3/4 cup boiling water for 1 serving.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups mix

 

Welcome to Day 2 of Cowboys & Mistletoe (Week 1)

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Here are the Charms and clues for today, presented in no particular order:

 

I chose a snowflake to represent my story because snowflakes play a key role in a symbolic way. When I was a child, I stammered. I was very self-conscious about it, but Miss Melody told me voices are like snowflakes—each one is unique and beautiful in its own way, just like every person is. I held those words of encouragement  close to my heart and then passed them on to a hurting little girl who came into my life unexpectedly.

 

I chose the moon to represent my story because there’s a recurring theme between the Kellan and me. The moon represents happiness, wholeness, and the two of us wanting to give each other every good thing in life now that it is finally within our reach. We know that running a large ranch in an untamed territory will take a lot of work, but also a lot of understanding and love to be successful.

 

When you’re ready to guess, you can log your responses AT THIS LINK.

DO NOT respond in the comments – your entry will only count when logged at the link noted.

 

POST 1 OF 2 FOR TUESDAY


Christmas Stocking Sweethearts Book 2
Pam Crooks’ Joy to the Cowboy

She was sunshine. He was clouds.  Until a sprig of mistletoe changed everything.

Griff Marcello must live with the shame of the crime he once committed for his mobster father.  As he grows into a man, he’s found security as a cowboy living in Glory Hill, Nebraska, but the memory of his sin never leaves him.

Joyanna Hollinger is devoted to the community of Glory Hill, and with Christmas approaching, her plans for a special Christmas Eve service consumes her. All her efforts are falling into place–until she loses a key part of the celebration.

When Griff receives an unexpected gift from his former piano teacher, he never thinks her kindness will fill him with the spirit of Christmas, even when Joyanna needs him most.

Could the simplicity of a hand-stitched stocking and the Christmas carol tucked within chase away the clouds in his heart and warm him from the sunshine of Joyanna’s love?

PURCHASE FOR 99¢ ON AMAZON

Also Available in Audiobook!

And here’s your “What’s In Your Christmas Stocking” question for this morning.

“There’s a cinnamon-scented candle in your stocking. What memory does it bring back?”

You could win a $10 Amazon gift card or our Grand Prize quilt!

ALL PRIZE WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14th

Two Almanacs – One Farewell ~ by Pam Crooks

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You may have heard on the news that “the Farmer’s Almanac is closing after their 2026 edition, ending more than 200 years of publication.”

When I heard that, I was sad because the Farmer’s Almanac had been such a beloved institution for so long. But my sadness shifted when the news anchor added that the Farmer’s Almanac was not to be confused with the OLD Farmer’s Almanac which was the oldest of the two and still going strong.

Wait. There’s TWO Farmer’s Almanacs?

Why didn’t I realize that? Probably because most people don’t tack on the word “Old” when talking about the almanacs, and from what I’ve read, I’m not alone in the confusion between the two.

 

So how did two Farmer’s Almanacs that have been around for more than two centuries remain so popular? And since they’re popular, how are they different? Because, surely, they wouldn’t have endured if they were the SAME, right?

While both are known for their weather predictions, gardening tips, recipes, and humor, they have their differences, too.

Here’s a quick comparison:

Founding:

Old Farmer’s Almanac – founded in 1792 (when George Washington was president!)
Farmers’ Almanac – founded in 1818

Weather Prediction Methods:

Old Farmer’s Almanac – Combines solar cycles, historical patterns, and satellite data
Farmers’ Almanac – Uses a secret formula based on mathematical and astronomical calculations tied to sunspots and tides, and no satellite data

Forecast Regions:

Old Farmer’s Almanac uses 18 regions in the US
Farmers’ Almanac uses 7 climate zones

Style:

Old Farmer’s Almanac blends science and tradition
Farmers’ Almanac has a faith-based, folklore tone

Modern Day:

Old Farmer’s Almanac has embraced the digital world with the use of apps, a website, YouTube, and social media
Farmers’ Almanac has a more limited digital usage.

Therein lies the biggest difference of all–and the reason for the Old Farmer’s Almanac’s long-standing duration.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac’s ability to adapt to new technology (while still keeping its friendly tone) is the reason why it is North America’s oldest continuously published periodical. Unfortunately, for the Farmers’ Almanac, rising production costs, declining print sales, and the failure to move toward a more aggressive digital presence was its downfall.

For more detailed information on the Old Farmer’s Almanac, check out my sister filly, Linda Broday’s, blog from a couple of years ago.  

https://petticoatsandpistols.com/2024/01/16/the-oldest-continuously-run-publication-in-america/

To win a copy of your choice of the 2026 version of the Old Farmer’s Almanac or the Farmers’ Almanac (if available – it’s currently out of stock, no doubt due to the sentimentality of its final issue), tell me . . .

Have you or someone in your past read the (Old) Farmer’s Almanac? Did you rely on its weather predictions? Have you tried any of their recipes or household hints?

 

To stay up on our latest releases and have some fun, too, join our Facebook Reader Group HERE!

 

Petticoats & Pistols