Wonderful Saturday drive out to the 'LUNAR' launch site at Snow Ranch on Saturday, March 5. Beautiful day with high wispy clouds. The Orvis family has allowed LUNAR to use the pasture for seven years now. Talked with several of the 'Rocketeers' who are very much into their hobby. One in particular was Paul from San Mateo who has been enjoying his hobby ever since he was a youngster. He has been involved for 20-plus years. He had brought nine rockets to shoot off that day. The site is run in a very organized manner. Cheryl Cooper of Hayward is the 'Safety and Registration Coordinator,' so you have to sign in with her in order to launch your rocket. Spoke with father and son, David and John from El Dorado Hills, about the rocket they were going to launch. They explained the larger rockets have altimeters to determine the height that the rocket has flown and some also have mini cameras that attach to side of the rocket. One of the rockets that was launched landed close by, so I was able to find out how high it went, which was 2600 feet. There was also a troop of Tiger Cubs, Pack 444 from Concord. These young boys had built and decorated their rockets. What a thrill for them when each one was launched and made a nice showing. Of course they had to chase after them as the parachutes opened and would drift away from the launch site. Then there was some disappointed launches, didn't make it off the pad. One in particular did go up, but it caught fire and the nose was pretty much gone when it hit the ground. But all in all, it was a successful day for most. Next launch is scheduled for April 2. Launches start about 11:30 a.m. as it takes time for them to set rockets up.

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Monday, March 14 is a minimum day at Farmington Elementary School. The school will be dismissed at 1:04 p.m. Don't forget to attend the Farmington Follies at the Escalon High School Performing Arts building on Wednesday, March 16 at 5:30 p.m. Kindergarten registration is March 17 and 18 at 8 a.m.

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Several of our Farmington residents who are members of the Cattlewomen Rotary, San Joaquin/Stanislaus County, participated in a program to educate children about agriculture and farm animals in conjunction with The National Rotary Read, its 20th Anniversary. Their assigned school was the Rosa Parks Academy School in Stockton. Stories were read to students from kindergarten through the fourth grade. Gayle Watkins, Molly Watkins, Judy Scheppmann, Di Kanz, Colleen Cordano, Donna Costa, Sherly Morris, Edith Solari, Mary Robinson and Norma Reeves were the readers. Judy also took in a hen named Ginger Chicken, which the children were excited seeing and was allowed to touch and hold. This was a first for them as they are urban children and have not had the opportunity to touch chickens.

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Yard Sale is still scheduled for Friday, March 11 and Saturday, March 12, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Methodist Church.

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Sunday, March 13 is Daylight Savings Time. Spring forward all of your clocks. March 17 is St. Patrick's Day, wear something green. I would sometimes forget and someone always noticed and I got pinched.

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If you see Herman Boone around, shout out a Happy Birthday. His big day is March 11.

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Please contact me if you have items for the Farmington News column. E-mail me at farmingtonnews@gmail.com or phone 896-6697.