Peek into the Future of Food 👀

Farming practices are changing for the better, and these farms are leading the way. Having trouble viewing this email? [View this email on the web.]( [Banner]( [The Future of Farming]( [Hero]( Dear Almanac Reader, Robots and invasive weeds. These aren’t the things that we usually think of when we talk about farming. Then again, what are the chances that you’ve met a farmer who’s never driven a tractor? Or a dairy farmer who doesn't milk cows? Farming practices are changing. From small, 3-acre farms in the Pacific Northwest to 20-acre vineyards in British Columbia to 3,300-acre wheat farms in Illinois, today’s farmers are focused on the future. What does this mean? [Image - Cynthia]( For Cynthia and John Crowley, it means taking advantage of futuristic technology. An automated milking system, with robotic arms and suction cups, helps them to manage 110 Holstein cows. Their freestall barn allows the cows to feed, rest, socialize, and be milked as they desire. For Michelle Week, the future means looking to the past. Week grows and sells Indigenous First Foods, such as rose hips, wood sorrel, wapato (a tuber), and stinging nettles. While many people view stinging nettles as noxious, invasive weeds, Week points out that the Sinixt (pronounced “sin-EYEKST”) and other indigenous peoples have used these plants both medicinally and as a food for thousands of years. Still, this doesn’t explain why a farmer would decide to stop selling 3,300 acres of wheat to feed mills. Nor does it tell us how one farm is taking advantage of cows to help to sequester carbon in the soil. It certainly doesn’t offer any clues as to how a jazz pianist ended up with a nearly perfect harvest of wine grapes after unusually frigid temperatures caused extensive vine damage. Shipping Now! Celebrate your Love of Gardening with The Old Farmer's Almanac Gardening Club! [OFIE Image]( Save 31% with your Gardening Club Charter Membership! [Claim your Old Farmer’s Almanac Gardening Club Charter Membership!]( [Yes, place my order!]( [Image - Barley]( Grow Your Own … Grain? Did you know that grains are one of the easiest crops to grow in your home garden? It makes you wonder. Why do so many of us opt to get our grains and flours from the grocery store? While growing barley, buckwheat, amaranth, wheat, rye, and other grains is simple enough, there’s a definite learning curve when it comes to turning your harvest into usable flour. Here’s the good news, though. Once you get used to the process, a 10-ft. x 10-ft. plot could give you enough of a harvest to enjoy homemade bread (with homegrown grain!) for about 6 months! Those friends who can’t believe that you bake your own bread? Wait until you tell them that you even grow your own wheat! [Image - Club products]( If you want to know the fascinating stories behind these farms, join The Old Farmer’s Almanac Gardening Club. You get the all-new 2024 edition of The Old Farmer’s Almanac, along with access to our complete online library, which includes every Garden Guide that we’ve ever published, a gorgeous 2024 Gardening Wall Calendar, and so much more! Become a member of the Old Farmers Almanac Gardening Club today, and you’ll never run out of advice, tips or inspiration! And right now, when you become a Gardening Club Charter Member you will save 31%. [Claim Your Membership Now]( Summary of Club Membership Benefits Charter Membership in The Old Farmer's Almanac Gardening Club $54.82/year $37.97! You save 31%! The 2024 Old Farmer’s Almanac The classic edition has everything you’ve come to expect from the world’s premier Almanac—forecasts, folklore, and more. It’s loaded with the tips, trivia, and insights that make it a family favorite. INCLUDED The Old Farmer’s Almanac 2024 Gardening Wall Calendar Enjoy rich illustrations and useful gardening tips on everything from planting to enjoying your garden. INCLUDED Gardening for Everyone vol. 4 A curated collection of inspiring, colorful, informative, and fun gardening articles and ideas presented in a softcover book. INCLUDED The Old Farmer’s Almanac EXTRA! EXTRA! digital magazine is a monthly treasure trove of updates and Almanac content not found in the printed edition. INCLUDED Complete access to our online library The library packed with Garden Guides, digital Almanacs going back to 2010, over 80 issues of EXTRA! Magazine, and more! INCLUDED 2023 Garden Guide - 128 inspiring pages on vegetables, flowers, herbs, houseplants; also recipes, DIY projects, and more BONUS Join today you’ll be prepared for any gardening project. Whether you garden for food, for flowers, or just for fun, a membership in Old Farmers Almanac Gardening Club will keep you entertained, informed, and inspired all year long! Sincerely, Carol Connare Editor The Old Farmer’s Almanac P.S. I think you’ll agree that this really is an unusual offer—31% off when you become an Old Farmers Almanac Gardening Club Charter Member today! It’s an incredible deal that you don’t want to ignore! [Shipping Now!]( Celebrate your Love of Gardening with The Old Farmer's Almanac Gardening Club! [BP - IMG]( Save 31% with your Gardening Club Charter Membership! Claim your Old Farmer's Almanac Gardening Club Membership! [Sign up for the Gardening Club]( We reserve the right to substitute items based on availability. Are you on social? Enjoy more Almanac wit & wisdom! [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( [Pinterest]( [Visit Almanac.com]( [Shop Our Store]( You received this email because you signed for updates from The Old Farmer's Almanac. If you do not wish to receive our regular e-mail newsletter in the future, please [click here to manage preferences](. *Please do not reply to this e-mail* © 2024 Yankee Publishing Inc. An Employee-Owned Company [1121 Main Street | P.O. 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