March 2026
“If you are enough lucky to be Irish, then you are lucky enough”
…..Old Irish Saying
MID-ATLANTIC WEATHER WATCH: seasonable with occasional flurries and a brisk wind early in the period, then dry (1,2,3,4,5): rain, snow and cold at first, turning sharply warmer by the 10th (6,7,8,9,10); mild with occasional periods of rain (11,12,13,14,15); colder with a few flurries, then sharply warmer by followed by a rain/snow mix (16,17,18,19,20); cold with snow and ice at first, then milder and dry (21,22,23,24,25); mild with occasional rain; finishing the month with dry and warm weather (26,27,28,29,30,31).
SEVERE WEATHER WATCH: The Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack see a wintery mix hitting the Mid-Atlantic Region (3,4,5,6) with freezing rain and more wintery mix (21,22,23).
FULL MOON: March’s FULL MOON for 2026 will occur on the 3rd. Many Native American tribes called it WORM MOON due to the abundance of earthworms that would appear when the earth starts to soften. It also has been referred to as SAP MOON because sap would rise and run during the month due to the warming temperatures throughout the regioN.
SPECIAL NOTES: Daylight Saving Time (DST) begins on Sunday, March 8th. in 2026. Don’t forget to ‘spring’ ahead an hour at 2AM EST. The Vernal Equinox will occur Friday, March 20th. and signals the beginning of Spring (at last!). The Almanack suggests that you “Go fly a kite” during this very windy month. Check out some of these classic designs you can make at home at wwww.my-best-kite.com/how-to-build-kites.html.
HOLIDAYS: Palm Sunday is March 29th. And don’t forget that St. Patrick’s Day is Tuesday, March 17th, so be sure to wear green in honor of Ireland’s famous saint!
THE GARDEN: March is prime time for feeding shrubs and perennials that bloom in the Summer. Also, begin pruning early-flowering shrubs, roses, fruit trees, grapes, and raspberries. Start an all-purpose spray regimen. Be sure to feed well and use supplementary nitrogen in early Spring, in addition to yearly feeding. Spray fruit trees with a dormant oil when temperatures exceed 40 degrees and before they leaf out. If you did not do so in February, apply a pre-emergent herbicide (that prevents crabgrass) to established lawns before March 15th. But if you plan to seed fescue lawns, do not apply a pre-emergent. It will Bprevent the grass seed from germinating. It’s also time to start tomatoes, lettuce, and many other vegetable seeds indoors. And do try to plant your peas on St. Patrick’s Day!
THE FARM: Best days for planting root crops (5,6); weeding and stirring the soil (23,24,28,29); planting above-ground crops (25,26,27); harvesting all crops (10,11); setting hens and incubators (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,26,27,28,29,30,31); slaughtering/butchering meat (18,19,20,21,22,23,24); transplanting (18,19,20,21,22,23,24); harvesting and storing grain (10,11,121,31,4,15,16,`7); the weaning of all small animals and livestock (10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18).
J. GRUBER’S THOUGHT FOR TODAY’S LIVING
A day when nothing has been accomplished can never be recaptured and is lost forever.
February 2026
“No man can know where he is going unless he knows exactly where he has been and exactly how he arrived at his present place.”…..Maya Angelou (1928-2014)
MID-ATLANTIC WEATHER WATCH: Seasonably cold with periods of snow (1,2,3,4,5); staying seasonably cold with occasional snow, ice and rain (6,7,8,9,10); milder and dry (11,12,13,14,15); warm at first, then rain and snow, turning colder and then milder by the 20th (16,17,18,19,20); milder with periods of rain; sleet, freezing rain in the mountains (21,22,23,24,25); seasonably mild with patches of drizzle or sprinkles (26,27,28)
SEVERE WEATHER WATCH: The Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack sees heavy snow (4,5,6,7,16,17,18)with wintery mix (24,25,26,27).
FULL MOON: February’s FULL MOON will occur on February 1st in 2026. It was called SNOW MOON, where the snow was deepest, while many other tribes called it WOLF MOON because of all of the howling heard during the month, which just happens to be the middle of their breeding season! And because there is such an extreme scarcity of game to hunt everywhere during this month, it was also aptly referred to as HUNGER MOON.
SPECIAL NOTES: The famous “Punxsutawney Phil” makes his annual and much-anticipated appearance on Monday, February 2nd when he issues his ‘prediction’ of the coming of Spring! If it is a sunny day and this little marmot monax sees his shadow, he will retreat post haste underground, to remain there for another 6 weeks of Winter! If it is cloudy and he doesn’t get scared by his own shadow, Spring will come early in 2026 (fingers crossed!). The Christian Festival of Lights, or Candlemas, is celebrated on the 2nd as well. As part of a long tradition, many churches would display many more candles on this day during their daily services. Not only did it make the service a special one, but it was also believed that the additional light would provide protection from illness and plague in the coming year.
HOLIDAYS: Valentine’s Day, February 14th, falls on a Saturday in 2026. Show that special someone just how special they are and how much you appreciate them. The birthdays of Presidents Abraham Lincoln (Thursday, February 12th) and George Washington (Sunday, the 22nd) are collectively celebrated on President’s Day, which falls on Monday, February 16th, providing us with an extended holiday weekend. Enjoy!
THE GARDEN: Mid- to late-February is the time to fertilize shrubs and evergreens. Use an acid-type Rhododendron fertilizer to feed evergreens, conifers, broad leaf evergreens, Rhododendrons, Azaleas, and Camellias. Use an all-purpose fertilizer to feed Roses and other deciduous trees and shrubs. If you use granular type fertilizers, be sure to water it thoroughly. The vegetable garden should get its first good tilling of the year, if weather and wetness permits.
THE FARM: Best for planting root crops (13,14); Best for weeding and stirring the soil (24,25,28); Best for planting above-ground crops (18,19,26,27) Best for harvesting all crops (10,11,12);Best days to set hens and incubators (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,24,25,26,27,28); slaughter and butcher meat (17,18,19,20,21,22,23); transplant (17,18,19,20,21,22,23); harvest and store grains (9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16); wean animals (10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19).
J. GRUBER’S THOUGHT FOR TODAY’S LIVING Don’t spend so much of your time counting your blessings that you miss out on opportunities as other blessing slip by.
January 2026
“New Year’s Day is every man’s birthday.”
Charles Lamb 1775-1834
Mid-Atlantic Weather Watch: seasonably cold, dry and becoming windy (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6); seasonably cold with a period of snow, followed by dry weather (6, 7, 8, 9, 10); turning milder with rain, followed by dry weather (11, 12, 13, 14, 15); rain/snow mix, then turning brisk and very cold (16, 17, 18, 19, 20); turning much milder with a period of heavy rain (21, 22, 23, 24, 25); another period of rain, then colder and ending the month with snow (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31).
Severe Weather Watch: The Town and Country Almanack warns of high winds (3, 4, 5); heavy snows (7, 8, 9, 18, 30, 31); severe wind chill (19, 20); heavy rain (27, 28, 29).
Full Moon: The first Full Moon of 2026 will occur on Saturday, January 3rd. It has often been referred to as Hunger Moon because of the extreme difficulty finding food in most regions at this time of year. And it has also been called WOLF MOON because of the increased presence of wolf packs that boldly wander closer to tribal villages and encampments in search of any scraps of food.
Special Notes: 2026 marks The Town and Country Almanack’s 230th year of continuous publication since it first appeared in 1797! It has been our on-going commitment to continue to improve its look, the accuracy of its weather forecasts, and the usefulness of the information and inspiration to help one survive in the 21st Century! Go to www.almanack.com/order and purchase a printed copy (or copies!), the 3-year subscription delivered right to your front door with the guarantee of no price increase for 3 years. Sign up to become a Friend of The Almanack, receive a printed copy of the latest edition, access to the latest on-line digital version and for the upcoming year’s edition as well!, access to past digital editions, the monthly newsletter, and so much more! A great deal for a great almanac!
Holidays: New Year’s Day falls on Thursday, January 1st and Epiphany follows on Tuesday, January 6th. Martin Luther King, Jr., famed civil rights activist leader, was born on January 15th in 1929. His birthday has been celebrated as a federal holiday on the third Monday of the month since 1983 and a state holiday in all 50 states by 2000. In 2026 that will be Monday, January 19th. MLK will be forever remembered for paying the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of unity and racial harmony which still eludes us today.
The Garden: Begin planning your garden now. Buy an extra wall calendar and dedicate it to tilling and planting activities. Look ahead and record the last projected frost dates for your region and mark down when to plant seedlings indoor. Check out this useful website www. usna.usda.gov/Hardzone to determine local hardiness. Collect nursery and seed catalogs now and remember to place any orders early. Get together with some of your ‘gardening friends’ and combine orders to save on shipping costs. Time your early gardening and lawn activities with anticipated sales at local merchants. They sometimes offer great deals and many have their products available immediately and at no extra cost (i.e. shipping).
The Farm: Best for planting root crops (9, 10); weeding and stirring the soil (5, 6); planting above-ground crops (3, 4, 21, 22); harvesting all crops (14, 15); the best days for setting hens and incubators (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31); the slaughtering and butchering of meat (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24); transplanting (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24); the weaning of all small animals and livestock (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23); harvest and store grains (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17).
J. Gruber’s Thought For Today’s Living: “Make no more resolutions for the new year than you intend to keep.”