LEWISTON, Maine – The Farmers’ Almanac, a long 208-year-old publication held by the Geiger family in Lewiston, has been acquired by Unofficial Networks, a New York-based digital media company, in a deal announced in January 2026 that will keep the historic title alive after prior owners warned the 2026 edition would be the last.
The acquisition comes just months after the publication’s previous owners said mounting financial stress would force an end to the long-running almanac, with the 2026 print edition initially framed as its finale.
Unofficial Networks is a family-owned media company founded by brothers Tim and John Konrad. The purchase established a new entity, Farmers’ Almanac LLC, which will be based in New York.
While control has shifted out of Maine, the Geiger family will retain a formal connection to the publication. Peter Geiger will now serve as Editor Emeritus.
The new owners say they intend to push a major digital expansion, with Tim Konrad focusing on building Almanac’s web presence and daily content.
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The print product, however, isn’t going away after all. Although the 2026 edition was originally expected to be the final annual publication, the new owners say they plan to revive and expand the print edition in future years.
The new leadership has also committed to maintaining the almanac’s traditional long-range weather forecasts, gardening tips, and the “Caleb Weatherbee” persona.
The Farmers’ Almanac traces its roots to 1818, when it was founded as a yearly publication built around long-range weather forecasting and a grab-bag of practical material for everyday life, including seasonal advice, gardening and household tips, and astronomy-related content.
From the start, the book cultivated a distinctive identity: predictions were presented as the product of a closely held “secret formula,” a tradition that helped the almanac stand out, and helped it endure, even as modern weather forecasting became more sophisticated.
Over time, the publication also became widely (and often mistakenly) lumped together with The Old Farmer’s Almanac, but they are separate titles. The Farmers’ Almanac began in 1818; the Old Farmer’s Almanac is older and founded in 1792.
The Geiger era and the move to Maine
A major turning point came in the mid-20th century when Ray and Ann Geiger acquired rights connected to the Farmers’ Almanac’s publishing operation. Not long after, the broader Geiger business shifted its base to Lewiston, Maine, cementing the publication’s long association with the state.
Entering the internet age
Like many legacy publications, the Farmers’ Almanac expanded online decades later, developing a digital presence to complement the annual print edition.
The “Caleb Weatherbee” tradition
Another signature feature is the forecaster persona “Caleb Weatherbee,” a long-running, pseudonymous identity used in the publication’s weather forecasting tradition, part of the mystique the brand has leaned on for generations.
