Get Almanac's Daily Updates Extended Forecasts Where to Buy Contact Us

The Old Farmer's Almanac Essay Contest

Win Cash Prizes and Publication in the Next Almanac!

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Every year, The Old Farmer’s Almanac holds an essay contest with cash prizes! Learn more and enter here—and read beautiful, touching essays from past winners!

The topic of the 2026 Essay Contest is “My Most Embarrassing Moment—That Still Makes Me Laugh.” Enter the contest here!

Past Winning Essays

Winners of the  2025 Essay Contest: The Best Gift I Ever Gave

Read Next

Winners of the 2024 Essay Contest: The Best Money I Ever Spent

Winners of the 2023 Essay Contest: A Funny Thing That Happened to Me

Winners of the 2022 Essay Contest: My Most Memorable Wildlife Experience

Winners of the 2021 Essay Contest: A Kindness I Will Always Remember

Winners of the 2020 Essay Contest: What Worn-Out Possession Is Dearest to You, and Why?

Winners of the 2019 Essay Contest: Kids Say the Funniest Things

Winners of the 2018 Essay Contest: How Weather Changed My Life

Winners of the 2017 Essay Contest: The Historical Figure I Would Like To Meet and Why

Winners of the 2016 Essay Contest: A New Holiday We Need—And Why

Winners of the 2015 Essay Contest: My Best Car Story

Winners of the 2014 Essay Contest: My Most Unusual Coincidence

Winners of the 2013 Essay Contest: My Funniest Family Moment

Winners of the 2012 Essay Contest: How The Old Farmer’s Almanac Has Influenced My Life

Winners of the 2011 Essay Contest: My Best Original Money-Saving Habit

Winners of the 2010 Essay Contest: The Kindest Thing Anyone Ever Did for Me

Winners of the 2009 Essay Contest: My Pet’s Best Trick Ever

All the best if you enter your own essay! Explore and enter all of our Almanac contests here.

Contests
About The Author
Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the website companion of The Old Farmer's Almanac. She covers gardening, plants, pest control, soil composition, seasonal and moon c...
Read More from Catherine Boeckmann

More Like This

Comments

<span>Hertransam</span> Sat, 01/31/2015 - 13:23
I submitted two best car stories to meet deadline. Could not decide which one was better. Thanking you in advance for making the choice for me if only one per person is permitted.
<span>Laura Vinther</span> Sun, 01/18/2015 - 10:25
Hi! Is there a word limit to the essay contest? For some reason I thought it was 200, but I don't see that anywhere now and most of the previous winners were more. I submitted a 200-word essay. I might resubmit. Thanks!
<span>Laura Vinther</span> Sun, 01/18/2015 - 11:14
I just reread the top of this page, duh, and my copy of The Old Farmer's Almanac 2015, and it does say 200 words or less. Forgive me!
<span>Nancy Bernardo</span> Thu, 01/15/2015 - 20:17
I remember a Christmas long ago when I was 5 years old & my brother Charlie was 7 years old. Our Mother asked us to make out our Christmas lists. Of course mine was long with many things {that I would not get} on it. However Charlie's list had just one thing on it. A Farmer's Almanac. My Mother said, "Charlie, you must want something else??". He looked up at our Mother & said "no Mama, just the Farmer's Almanac please". What an impression your magazine had even back then on a child so young. Charlie got his Farmer's Almanac for Christmas that year & kept it in his back pocket wherever he went...
<span>Annabel Dsouza</span> Fri, 11/07/2014 - 02:28
Hey, I really enjoyed reading all the previous years' winning essays. Can I participate this year? I'm from Mumbai, India.
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Sun, 11/09/2014 - 11:06

Thanks for the kind words.This contest comes courtesy of The Old Farmer's Almanac publication which is published in North America, therefore, you must live in the U.S. or Canada to enter.

 <span>Cody</span> Tue, 01/14/2014 - 14:36
for this years essay can it be fake or do it have to be realty
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Wed, 01/15/2014 - 16:19

We prefer that you enter a real story. Thanks for checking!

 <span>Kim Condoulis</span> Thu, 12/26/2013 - 12:17
I just submitted my essay for the 2015 contest online yesterday and realized today that I made an important typo that needs to be corrected. If I mail in a paper copy of my submission with the correction and a note, can that be submitted instead? Thank you!
<a title="View user profile." href="/author/editors">The Editors</a> Mon, 01/06/2014 - 08:56

Hi, Kim,

Yes, you welcome to send by mail with a note. Or, you are welcome to resubmit online and we will just look at the most recent copy.

Kind regards,

The Old Farmer's Almanac editors