Several of the Future Farmers of Farmington have taken their livestock to the San Joaquin County Fair. The fair opens on Wednesday, June 15th. Judging will be Wednesday through Friday. Junior Livestock Auction will be held on Saturday, June 18th, starting at 9:00 am. Go out to the fair and show your support for the young future farmers.
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From "Doc Alders Farmington's Lone Eagle" by Averel Alders as told to Sid Freshour:
The Alders gas station was a prominent sign of the times. Farmington no longer had a hotel and the passenger trains gave way to the novel mobility of the automobiles. The Alders boys would service the vehicles of the local farmers as well as Highway 4 travelers. Engines, wheels and things mechanical came naturally to the brothers. Averel became serious about his interest in aviation in 1936. This led him to pursue flying lessons at the Pathfinder Flying Service outside of Stockton at what was to become Stockton Field. Averel got a learners permit and went on to get his private license under CAA regulations. The Pathfinder Flying Service had just acquired an Aeronca K and the instructor used it to give Averel flying lessons. The instructor didn't like the side-by-side with a wheel control. He just couldn't get used to it. He went back to the tandem controls and stick. He sold the Aeronca K to Averel. It only had less than 50 hours on it. The Alders boys had taken out the vineyard and orchard that their dad had planted years before on the forty-five acres on the road to Bellota. It was only natural to put in an airstrip on the property running along the road. The airstrip was graded off level and smooth using a scraper. It was soon apparent to everyone in Farmington that a yellow aircraft with black trim was perched smartly on the edge of town. It was a stone's throw from the Alders Service Station. Although he didn't indulge in the carnival-like barnstormer practice of selling rides, Averel did 'take a few people up' - mostly close friends and family. "Switch on" "Contact". This was the classic routine for starting a single engine aircraft. The pilot would be seated in the plane ready to taxi and someone standing in front of the propeller would give it a flip following the "contact" declaration and the engine would start. Averel never found this procedure necessary. He would simply stand beside the plane and while reaching up into the cockpit he would flip the propeller with his other hand. He said the E-113 engine was easy to turn over. He could start the engine by himself without bothering someone else. Averel made a few unorthodox landings around the area in the Aeronca. He landed in Woodward Reservoir one time when it was dry. Another time he landed at the California Gold Dredge on the Hunt Ranch east of Bellota and took the tour. There was another fella on a ranch there among the rolling hills east of Bellota that had an Aeronca K. During the 1938 World's Fair on Treasure Island, he enjoyed a flight over the 'Old Alameda Aerodrome'. He didn't bother with the fair; he just stopped at Alameda and shot the bull a bit before coming back.
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My favorite days are 'Smile Power Day' Wednesday, June 15th and 'Ice Cream Soda Day' Monday, June 20th.
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Happy Birthday Wish goes out to Barbara Boone for Wednesday, June 15th.
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I would still like to hear from you. Have you taken a trip? Have you had out of town visitors? Let me know of family birthdays, anniversaries and new arrivals to your family. Whatever you want to add to the Farmington News is welcome.
Please contact me if you have items for the Farmington News column. E-Mail me at farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.
*****
From "Doc Alders Farmington's Lone Eagle" by Averel Alders as told to Sid Freshour:
The Alders gas station was a prominent sign of the times. Farmington no longer had a hotel and the passenger trains gave way to the novel mobility of the automobiles. The Alders boys would service the vehicles of the local farmers as well as Highway 4 travelers. Engines, wheels and things mechanical came naturally to the brothers. Averel became serious about his interest in aviation in 1936. This led him to pursue flying lessons at the Pathfinder Flying Service outside of Stockton at what was to become Stockton Field. Averel got a learners permit and went on to get his private license under CAA regulations. The Pathfinder Flying Service had just acquired an Aeronca K and the instructor used it to give Averel flying lessons. The instructor didn't like the side-by-side with a wheel control. He just couldn't get used to it. He went back to the tandem controls and stick. He sold the Aeronca K to Averel. It only had less than 50 hours on it. The Alders boys had taken out the vineyard and orchard that their dad had planted years before on the forty-five acres on the road to Bellota. It was only natural to put in an airstrip on the property running along the road. The airstrip was graded off level and smooth using a scraper. It was soon apparent to everyone in Farmington that a yellow aircraft with black trim was perched smartly on the edge of town. It was a stone's throw from the Alders Service Station. Although he didn't indulge in the carnival-like barnstormer practice of selling rides, Averel did 'take a few people up' - mostly close friends and family. "Switch on" "Contact". This was the classic routine for starting a single engine aircraft. The pilot would be seated in the plane ready to taxi and someone standing in front of the propeller would give it a flip following the "contact" declaration and the engine would start. Averel never found this procedure necessary. He would simply stand beside the plane and while reaching up into the cockpit he would flip the propeller with his other hand. He said the E-113 engine was easy to turn over. He could start the engine by himself without bothering someone else. Averel made a few unorthodox landings around the area in the Aeronca. He landed in Woodward Reservoir one time when it was dry. Another time he landed at the California Gold Dredge on the Hunt Ranch east of Bellota and took the tour. There was another fella on a ranch there among the rolling hills east of Bellota that had an Aeronca K. During the 1938 World's Fair on Treasure Island, he enjoyed a flight over the 'Old Alameda Aerodrome'. He didn't bother with the fair; he just stopped at Alameda and shot the bull a bit before coming back.
*****
My favorite days are 'Smile Power Day' Wednesday, June 15th and 'Ice Cream Soda Day' Monday, June 20th.
*****
Happy Birthday Wish goes out to Barbara Boone for Wednesday, June 15th.
*****
I would still like to hear from you. Have you taken a trip? Have you had out of town visitors? Let me know of family birthdays, anniversaries and new arrivals to your family. Whatever you want to add to the Farmington News is welcome.
Please contact me if you have items for the Farmington News column. E-Mail me at farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.
