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.”