The 208-year-old Farmers' Almanac, a beloved piece of American heritage founded in 1818, was on the brink of closing forever due to mounting funding challenges, but has been rescued by Unofficial Networks, a family-owned Maine-based winter sports and outdoor media company. The publication's final 2026 edition had already been announced in late 2025, with editors Sandi Duncan and Peter Geiger posting a heartfelt goodbye on the website: “Though the Almanac will no longer be available in print or online, it lives on within you.” The closure was attributed to growing financial pressures in today's chaotic media environment, including rising production and distribution costs that made sustaining the publication unsustainable.
Tim Konrad, founder of Unofficial Networks, a media company focused on skiing, snowboarding, national parks, mountain adventures, and outdoor exploration, saw the announcement and refused to let it fade. “I saw the announcement that one of America's most enduring publications was set to close, and it felt wrong to stand by while an irreplaceable piece of our national heritage disappeared,” Konrad said in a press release on the Almanac's site.
Konrad described the Farmers' Almanac as "more than just a book", it's a living link to generations of knowledge and curiosity about the natural world.” He has been working closely with the existing team, including Geiger, to protect its most cherished elements while planning to revive the annual print edition in future volumes. The publication will remain accessible online immediately, with print returning as resources allow.
Geiger praised the transition: “An American tradition continues! The values and wisdom of the Almanac have been protected and nurtured for 200 years, and I am grateful to have found the right next custodian in Tim Konrad. I am also confident he will honor its heritage and carry it forward for generations to come.”
The Farmers' Almanac, distinct from its rival The Old Farmer's Almanac, was founded in 1818 by poet and astronomer David Young and publisher Jacob Mann. It has provided long-range weather predictions, planting advice, and folksy wisdom to generations of Americans. Konrad's acquisition ensures the 200-year-old institution survives, preserving a piece of Americana that many feared was lost forever.
