Hagerstown Almanack Newsletter

MID-ATLANTIC WEATHER WATCH: Seasonably cold at first, then turning mild with a few rain showers followed by seasonably cold temperatures under clear skies (1,2,3,4,5); turning mild with a rain and snow mix, then dry with mild daytime temperatures and a chilly overnight (6,7,8,9,10); seasonably warm and dry at first, then rain with a brief period of snow on the storm’s backside; becoming blustery and chilly with dry weather on the 15^th (11,12,13,14,15); chilly at first, but becoming much milder with dry weather expected (16,17,18,19,20); rain followed by snow showers and turning much colder (21,22,23,24,25); period of light snow and rain, then breezy and staying on the cooler side of average (26,27,28,29,30,31).

SEVERE WEATHER WATCH: The Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack warns of heavy snow and high winds (24,25). 

FULL MOON: The first FULL MOON of 2025 will occur on Monday, January 13^th. 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 close to tribal villages and encampments searching for any food. 

SPECIAL NOTES: The Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack celebrates its 229^th edition in 2025! It has been continuously published since it first appeared in 1797 and it has been our on-going commitment to continue to improve its look, the accuracy of its weather forecasts, and provide useful information and inspiration to help one survive in the 21^st Century! Go to www.almanack.com/order and purchase a printed copy, the new, online digital version in flipbook format, or the 3-year subscription guaranteeing 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 following 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 Wednesday, January 1^st and Epiphany follows on Monday, January 6^th. Martin Luther King, Jr., famed civil rights activist leader, was born on January 15^th 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 2025 that is Monday, January 20^th. 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: Now is the time to spoil those indoor plants! They not only brighten up the house but they also rid indoor air of nasty pollutants. Extra watering is required to keep them from drying out indoors. They also need to be rotated periodically to ensure they receive adequate sunlight all around during the winter months.  

THE FARM: Best for planting root crops (19,20,21); weeding and stirring the soil (10,11); planting above-ground crops (12,13,31); harvesting all crops (24,25,26); the best days for setting hens and incubators (7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22),; the slaughtering and butchering of meat (1,2,3,4,5,29,30,31); transplanting (1,2,3,4,5,29,30,31); the weaning of all small animals and livestock (1,2,3,4,5,24,25,26,27,28,29); harvest and store grains (21,22,23,24,25,26,7,28)  

J. GRUBER’S THOUGHT FOR TODAY’S LIVING  

“Resolutions are only as good as the intent to keep them”