Narrator>> Making It Grow is brought to you in part by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Certified South Carolina grown helps consumers identify, find and buy South Carolina products.

McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina.

This family farm offers seasonal produce, including over 22 varieties of peaches.

Additional funding provided by International Paper and the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau Insurance.

♪ Amanda>> We are here today doing a special to remember the wonderful life of our friend Tony Melton, who passed away on April the second and everybody who watched Tony or met him or read articles, I think.

Terasa>> Oh yes, I mean, Tony was so well known across the state for his work with Extension for his work supporting agriculture.

To know him was to love him.

Amanda>> It was and we were so lucky when he would come on the show, because he could answer anything.

Terasa>> That's right most of us you know, probably have a small niche, a little area that we feel comfortable answering questions, but Tony knew, it seemed like everything Amanda>> And even if it was bad news, he'd give it to you in a way that made you feel like it was going to turn out okay.

>> That's right.

>> Let's watch some of those times when he was on the show with us and remember how happy it made us all.

>> Sounds good.

>> Tony Melton is the small fruits and vegetable specialist for the Pee Dee and beyond.

Because I will say one thing if you call Tony Melton he's going to go and help you or, or spend a lot of time to doing it.

And it's amazing that he does that because he doesn't drive fast at all.

when goes 55 miles per hour.

I remember when you were, when you...hit the speed limit.

That's how long we've known each other When you said, I'm finding the speed limit.

You remember that?

(laughs) Tony>> That was my first birthday I ever had.

The first birthday party I ever had was when I was 55.

Amanda>> Mitzi had you had a surprise.

Oh goodness, goodness, goodness.

Tony>> I tell folks, tomatoes growing tomatoes is an art.

It takes a lot of effort you need to kind of have some basic knowledge to get tomatoes.

The first thing I always do when I plan a transplant of tomatoes is wrapped stem with aluminum foil to protect it.

What that does is keep southern stem blight which is something that likes our heat in south after attacking the stem, and then after you plant it, I put a small amount of fertilizer out and get a plant up about this tall and allow it to start putting on fruit, and if it gets fruit on it then if you keep fertilizing a lot of homeowners grow well I had a 10 foot tall tomato plant and have no tomatoes on it really.

So what I do is let them stop and then, then after gets a little fruit on there then I start fertilizing again and then you get a plant that'll cover the fruit to keep down sun scald which is another terrible thing in the south, because we're so sunny here you get a big enough plant to cover it.

Amanda>> So you want some leaves but you want a balance between leaves and fruit.

So that's why the fertilizer you want to just kind of add it along a little and a little.

Tony>> That's right we call it spoon feeding.

It's spoon feeding.

we love to spoon feed a tomato, because we put too much out at one time it grows a big tall plant.

Amanda>> Tony if you get them out in the middle of the hot summer.

There's not a lot you can do to make it set fruit.

Tony>> No.

What happens with tomatoes, I call wimpy flowers.

They kind of just die and they fall off actually the pistol grows too far outside of the flower and it can't pollinate and so they fall off.

So you want to plant them early here, because of the heat and the heat is a problem when it gets too hot the flowers will fall.

The same thing with beans we'll be talking about here a little bit the same thing with them if they gets too hot in the summer the flowers will fall .

Amanda>> So, the middle of summer is going to be rough on certain of our vegetables.

Tony>> This is the south.

Amanda>> How about... >> That's an insecticide.

imidacloprid.

>> Yes.

It is >> a systemic insecticide that goes up through the plant controls things like aphids and things like that.

Amanda>> Not stinkbugs?

>> Very little stinkbugs, very, very little, okay, it will get to some of the inventories, but most likely nothing.

Stinkbug's the hardest thing to control.

it almost takes two bricks, Amanda to kill a stinkbug.

We have deer fence around.

That's one thing you got to have in the Pee Dee, Amanda, and we had a nice program about vegetables fall vegetables and showing folks in the area how to really produce some nice, locally grown produce, you know, nothing fresher nothing and finer than that South Carolina certified grown.

This is a one that I got to treat.

John didn't really know this one.

So tickled me a little bit.

Vicki >> Stumped a botanist.

>> but this is a plant we call Sun Hill, which is a good cover crop.

It actually produces nitrogen is a legume and it produces nitrogen and actually, is a good source of organic matter because get five or six feet tall.

Amanda>> It gets huge So what they need is to have a gradual period where it just gets a little cooler and a little cooler and a little cooler.

instead of going from wearing your bathing suit to wearing your long johns.

That's South Carolina.

Well, Tony, do you have a resolution for your wonderful house that you built by yourself over there?

Tony>> Oh my goodness, I got so many things.

It's unbelievable.

But one of my resolutions only plant things that I can eat this year.

In my...

I say my older age, let's put it there, I have decided I like to walk around in my yard and pick fruit and all different types of things all summer long.

So from here on out, I'm going to try to plant those things that I can enjoy.

Amanda>> Okay, well and I want to note I want you to know that your adoring co-eds have a resolution for you which is to stay off ladders we will give you big lipstick kisses even if you don't have any mistletoe.

Vicki>> Stay off of the roof.

>> That's right.

Stay off the roof.

>> No, those are Davis' Davis>> I brought the hellebores, Tony>> hellebores, I'm a bore.

(all laugh) Amanda>> Terasa if I had a nickel for every question that Tony answered on the show with the 25 years he was with us.

Terasa>> You'd be rich, wouldn't you, but we are rich for having known him.

You know, I used to try to eavesdrop on his conversations.

And I know people think well, eavesdropping is terrible.

But it was because I just wanted to soak up all of that knowledge and wisdom that he had, in hopes that it would make me a better extension agent.

Amanda>> Yes, yes.

And before or during the time that he was on the show for a little while.

For several years, we had a show called down home with Tony and Amanda.

And honestly, we really had a good time because it was it was a little bit out of the box.

Terasa>> I have no doubt and you know, I'm looking forward to seeing some clips because that was before my career with extension began.

Amanda>> Well, let's watch a little bit.

Tony>> Welcome down home.

Hi, I'm Tony Melton with Clemson Extension Service.

Amanda>> And I'm Amanda McNulty.

I work with Clemson too Tony's in Florence and I'm in Sumter.

Where we're neighbors.

That's right, just right across the river there.

Yeah.

And we're so glad that you all came to be down home with us today.

We're over in Sumter County, that's where we do our filming.

Tony>> Oh, yes.

And it's getting close to Halloween this.

Amanda>> Oh, it really is kids are getting excited.

Tony>> Yeah, they love to go trick or treating.

Amanda>> I like a treat.

My mother in law once said she said I'll take any compliment I can get and I think I'll take any treat I can get too.

I think that's a good attitude.

<That's right.> If somebody gives you a lot of sweet potatoes did you put them in the refrigerator or should you just leave them in the basket in the corner of the kitchen?

Tony>> You should not put them in the fridge you should not because we get below 55 degrees of sweet potato you start getting internal damage or it starts breaking down browning on the inside and the sweet potatoes go bad actually inside of here we'll start breaking down and you won't see it that much until you start to cook it.

Amanda>> then you open it up you got people coming over you got the sweet potatoes, you got the butter out >> Okay, is that why in the old days, they used to dig up those soil banks Tony and...you know I heard about those stories growing up too, where people banked them.

Tony>> Yeah, we used to do it at our house really mom and daddy used to take it, and what they do pine straw since we was in McBee...and sandy soil, so what we would do is take it and put some pine straw down, put some sweet potatoes into it then put some more pine straw.

Amanda>> They weren't touching each other that way if one went bad, the whole thing didn't rot right?

Tony>> You'd kind of separated it out with the pine straw and then you pile that sandy soil up on top of it and make a mound actually and then usually right up on top we put a piece of tin.

Just stuck some way to keep the water shed off so that it doesn't get too much moisture in there and start rotting.

But they made some neat things we just have one right out in front of our house.

We use to get sweet potatoes all winter long.

Amanda>> I bet it was Tony>> Well typically on pre emergence herbicides, Mrs. Amanda.

What you want to do is put it out when the temperature sugar gets around 75 degrees during the day temperature for about three days in a row.

What that does, what a 75 degree temperature does is, it kind of tells, the weed seeds, it's time to come up.

All those seeds that have been dormant.

That's right.

It's time for those winter weeds to come up and grow because they don't like to heat of summer.

Amanda>> So 75 is considered cool.

Man, I just don't know if I don't know what's happened.

I'm not real sure.

Hear from us, they are very resistant to drought.

And if the wind blows (both laugh) they move in the wind and they have pretty seed heads.

And there's a lot of variety to them and colors and textures.

Terasa>> Well, it sure looks like you and Tony enjoyed yourselves and I imagine the viewers enjoyed watching.

Amanda>> We did have fun.

I learned about cat head biscuits from him.

Terasa>> Cat head biscuits.

That's a new term to me.

Amanda>> Not for Tony.

Anytime we had something special, we would make sure that Tony could be with us because of course everybody wanted to see Tony.

Then we would go to the Fair or to New Berry or to places and we our 25th anniversary show celebration here in Sumter and of course Tony was a major part of it.

Tony Melton for a little boy from McBee even though you could pick butter beans at age five.

There was a lot of learning you had to learn to come on and hold your own with Roland Austin.

Tony>> Yes, right.

I stretch myself a long way with it.

You never say, man.

Amanda>> But Tony, I think you as Roland said the joy was to be able to help the people who are farming stay successful.

Tony>> So it is it is difficult farming out there.

It's it's very difficult.

It's one of the most complicated and actually very touchy, kind of a job is hard to do.

So if we can help folks farm and make a living in farming is no better life Amanda.

Amanda>> Well, we thank you for all that you do.

And I believe that Terasa once again has someone who has a little bit of curiosity about this.

>> I just want to know, after being on Making It Grow so long, what do you bring back from it the most?

What stands out the most to you?

Amanda>> Tony?

Tony>> Well Roland, I heard you say before, never tell nobody to can't do or can't grow something and I've learned that you don't never do that.

You never just tell somebody you can't do this because somebody's going to show you up real fast.

So I've learned that people can if they put their minds to it can do a lot of different things.

Amanda>> Terasa, Tony's talking about helping farmers but you know, sometimes on the show, if there was a caller who had a problem, he would find out where they lived and go by their house.

Terasa>> Oh, yes.

That was very common.

He'd say, Oh, well, I'm going to pass right by on my way to so and so's farm.

I'll stop and take a look.

Amanda>> But one of his great friends was Stan McKenzie.

>> Stan the citrus man.

Yeah, and um...so let's and they, we they got together one time to talk to we recorded it.

It's so much fun to see the two of them together.

>> It is.

Tony>> What better to talk about when it's cold like this in a semi tropical plant like citrus.

Stan.

Tell us a little bit about your, your citrus operation.

Stan>> Well, I have always been interested in citrus, even as a child and got my first citrus tree, Satsuma Mandarin back in the mid 80s and planted it in my back door and it grew and was successful and started producing fruit.

And so folks saw it, the meter reader, the gas man said man, I'd like to have one of those.

So that kind of put me into citrus business.

I learned how to graft.

Tony>> Yeah, and I've been a judge for the citrus Expo since you started back about 15 or 16 years ago.

Stan>> I think this will be number 15 or 16 coming up this year and you've been a judge every year.

Tony has drove countless miles all the way down to Valdosta.

Georgia, I mean, to Thomasville, Georgia and Virginia Beach and Alabama and all parts in between.

So, Tony's been a true friend of our citrus.

Tony>> I love the citrus and you know I grew up that's what you got for Christmas.

It's a little box of some citrus, and maybe an apple or so and one pair of non holey jeans.

(laughing) Stan>> Yeah, that would be popular now though.

The non holey jeans would not be popular >> That's right.

Amanda>> Terasa, Tony loved Christmas and he had a funny thing talking about the weather in South Carolina too.

Terasa>> He did.

He said our seasons were almost summer, summer, still summer and Christmas Amanda>> finally Christmas.

For someone who had such a brilliant mind of I mean understanding pesticides and everything and all the you know, things that affected growing crops.

He was so creative and artistic.

Terasa>> He was and I don't often think of those two things going together, but they did for Tony.

Amanda>> Tony, a lot of times you and I have to worry about what's wrong with a plant.

But the holidays, we don't worry about that.

Tony>> No, we just go on and enjoy the beauty of the plants.

We're going to bring the beauty of the plants inside a lot of times and around your home so people can see the beauty of the nature.

Amanda>> ...that's why we have plants and worry about them, because they do give us so much joy, and it is fun to bring them inside and use them.

They don't have to just be out in the yard.

And I think it's fun to use real things at Christmas.

Tony>> Me too.

I've always loved to use real things, because that just goes back all the way to the beginning, Amanda.

Amanda>> It does.

Yeah.

And Tony, you made some things ahead of time.

You made a swag that's behind you, and used longleaf pine.

Tony>> Yeah, it's so easy.

You just go cut the tops out of some pines or the top side of the branches and just wire them together real good, with some good heavy wire.

Amanda>> ...heavy gauge wire.

Tony>> heavy gauge wire that makes the difference, so it doesn't fall apart on you.

(Amanda laughs) Amanda>> And I don't even know what some of them are.

This is some kind of conifer, and I like it because it's got a lighter color, which I think is kind of fun.

Tony>> And that's the important thing.

If you put a plant in your yard, name it.

So, you keep the name of it, because sometimes it's hard to tell one from the other.

Amanda>> You're right about that, and then I think this is some kind of Christmas tree, maybe a spruce.

I'm not sure.

They're things that don't grow here and that's one reason that sometimes you'd like to go and buy them.

...Then also Tony, this is a very tightly formed eastern red cedar, I believe, and when you and I were coming along that was all we had for Christmas trees.

Tony>> That's right!

We'd go out and collect them and that was the most memorable day of the year to go out and collect the Christmas tree.

>> It sure was fun, and we used to call them a ditch bank cedar.

♪ Christmas song: What Child Is This ♪ >> Well we know that Tony never held back.

He was always 110%.

Terasa>> Always, no matter what the venture.

Amanda>> and the things he did.

You know he built his own house.

Terasa>> I had almost forgotten that, but had a chance to see it and incredible.

So, he was a man of many talents.

>> And when it got to be Christmas time, that Tony Melton house, I tell you, it was really decorated up.

Terasa>> The spirit of Christmas.

♪ God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen ♪ ♪ Amanda>> When Tony was just a young fellow he started working for Kemp McLeod's mother, and he said that was his, how he got his love of horticulture, and he continued to be wonderful friends and help to that family, and they had a corn maze every year.

And, one year South Carolina teams won a national... Terasa>> That's right, and so, they used that as their theme for the maze Amanda>> National championships or something like that, and that so you had answer those questions.

Well, and so Tony and I, we're trying to get through the corn maze, and he was supposed to know something about sports, but it was a little bit daunting.

Terasa>> I'm glad you didn't take me along because I don't think I would have been any help.

(laughing) ♪ music ♪ Tony>> Well, Amanda, it's a beautiful day for a corn maze.

Amanda>> Well, it's good thing because I'm afraid I might be in there all day, Tony.

I'm scared to death.

Tony>> I think I can handle it a little bit.

I think I can handle it.

I know a little bit about baseball and football and basketball.

I'm going to see if I can get on through there.

Amanda>> Well, I need all the help I can get.

I'm going to go look up Spencer first.

Tony>> All right.

>> I'll see you on the inside.

Tony>> I'll see you a little bit later.

>> Bye Bye.

♪ music ♪ ♪ suspenseful music ♪ ♪ Amanda>> Tony!

Tony>> Well, hey Amanda.

How are you doing?

>> Oh, how you doing?

>> Ahhh...I to hate say it.

I'm a little lost.

Amanda>> Well, this is one of the clues.

>> Yes, it's tough.

>> Oh my goodness!

I wish it were an insect to identify.

We'd have a short stance there.

Well look, Spencer put this thing on the phone that's supposed to help us.

So let's look at this.

>> All right.

Amanda>> Okay.

All right.

It looks like we're here I think.

What do you think?

I think maybe we're going try that way.

What do you think?

Tony>> Sounds good to me.

Amanda>> Got to do something.

>> That's right.

>> Come on.

Let's go.

♪ upbeat music ♪ Amanda>> I hope the sun doesn't down.

Tony>> Lord help, to maybe by midnight.

It may be next Tuesday by the time TV show comes on.

We need to go back.

Amanda>> I sure hope so, because I tell you, I'm a little bit turned around.

♪ music continues ♪ Both>> Holy mackerel.

Tony>> My goodness, Amanda.

Amanda>> I don't know which row we're supposed >> I don't know either.

Amanda>> Look at this.

>> You better look at app again.

music Amanda>> Whew!

♪ music ♪ Tony>> Ahhh...

I tell you.

That was something.

That was something.

Amanda>> You know, Tony, that was quite an accomplishment.

I think some of that ice cream back in the store is going to taste mighty good.

Tony>> Oh, that's mighty wonderful.

>> Let's head back that way.

>> Let's go.

♪ upbeat music ♪ ♪ Amanda>> Sadly, Tony was diagnosed with an incurable illness and had to retire and...stop his joyful work with the people of South Carolina, and I just happened to be at McLeod's for another reason, and Tony was - and Mitzi were on their way back from the mountains.

He wanted to go to the mountains and the beach and see the beauty of our state.

It meant a lot to him.

And so, we had another ice cream together there, but he meant so much to the McLeod's and...they established a scholarship in his honor ...and Terasa, when he told me that, I mean the McLeod family has...patriarchs that they - you would think they would have named the scholarship after and instead Tony told me it was the greatest honor imaginable.

They named it the Tony Melton scholarship.

Terasa>> It's fantastic and you know Tony was a very humble man and would - not want to take away from anything, but that is really a true testament of what he provided to South Carolina to agriculture, to the McLeod family, Amanda>> and then as Tony's health continued to deteriorate, fortunately, he was able to come, and they dedicated the corn maze to Tony and...Kemp made some very lovely remarks.

Kemp McLeod>> Here on the farm.

I guess Tony and I have come up through in McBee here and all these times we worked together and even up to this point.

We rode by the strawberry patch here on top of the hill and he said do you got nut grass out there?

I said yeah.

I said, well...

He said what you do about it?

I said, I actually fumigated twice now and still didn't kill it.

And he said, Well, where's the basagran?

I said, Well, I haven't really thought about that.

I really don't have much faith.

He said, spray it, it'd be better than nothing.

I said okay.

So, we might back up and do that again.

So anyway, you know, he still advises us on what to do, but, I would say, Tony, is the personification of hard work, determination and perseverance.

Tony got a master's in hort and, and came back and did it, dedicated his life to helping farmers in extension.

The good news is that Tony has really made the difference for farming in South Carolina.

He lifted up many farmers, many farmers depend on what he taught, and still teaching, and he really has inspired many, many, many people, not only the track he took from where he was humble beginnings, all the way to where he is now, many people have taken what he's done, and he's been an inspiration to many people.

We thank you for that, Tony.

Thank you.

Thanks so much.

(applause) (cheers and applause) Amanda>> Wish all the farming was that easy.

(all laugh) >> Although it's terribly sad and depressing to watch someone you love, be so ill.

It did mean that people who felt such love for Tony, were able to let him know what he meant to them, and one of the things that happened was at the Pee Dee Rec.

...and Tommy Taylor, and the Pee Dee plant professionals, and so many people that Tony had worked with so...intimately for his whole career, were there to dedicate a garden, Terasa>> and how fitting to have a garden in Tony's name.

>> Yeah, and I think it really did mean a lot to him.

He made some lovely remarks that day.

♪ somber music ♪ >> This is a ceremony honoring you, and all that you have meant to us, here with extension, you meant to the citizens of South Carolina.

You are a godsend and I think everyone in here could have these one to 10 stories about all the good that you have done for them.

Today, we are establishing this garden for you in your honor, all the work that you have done, not only for Clemson Extension citizens of South Carolina >> Serviceberry.

And I guess, I don't know who chose that.

But I can't think of a better tree to honor somebody with the service you've given.

As a matter of fact, our Rotary Club, I'm a member of, the motto is service above self.

And I think you've fit that very well.

Matter of fact, a shining example of that.

This serviceberry is if anybody wants to know it's Amelanchier arborea.

And it's just about 25 feet tall, But they fruit in June, which is a good time here.

This tree has color or interest all, just about all season.

In the spring it has white flowers, and then of course, the summer has the fruit in clusters, sort of like blue berries, and then the fall color, guess what it is what color it is...orange.

(laughs) What'd you think?

Just like your coat there Tony.

Clemson orange.

And it does have a little yellow in there with it.

But it's beautiful tree.

But what an example, you've been to all the people in the agriculture and horticulture industry, especially for Clemson Extension.

We're so thankful for the Clemson Extension Service and what they've done for our community for our industry, and certainly for you and allowing you to serve us together, but you know, this tree is in the rose family.

A lot of you may not know that, but as I said earlier, not only is it blue and white in the spring and fruit in the summer, but has that pretty fall color.

We're going to be thinking about you all the time, we come by here and see this pretty tree and watch it grow with the rest of this garden.

>> I think if you look around this gathering, Tony, you can see how much we think of you, and what an impact you've had on this organization.

So, I can't think of anybody in extension, or at Clemson University, or in agriculture that's given as much of themselves to their profession, and the people of this state as you have.

So you've been a mentor to so many extension agents.

I don't know how many bosses you've had since in your 40 plus years with Clemson, more than you probably want to remember, but I'm happy to have - I don't consider myself your boss, never have.

I've learned far more from you than you've ever learned from me.

And so I just appreciate you've always been supportive.

When I came in, you helped me out and taught me things you probably don't even realize you taught about how to be an extension agent, most importantly And so many of our employees have learned that from you over the years, some of them that are still with us and others that have moved on, but nobody deserves this recognition more than you do, and we can't thank you enough for what you've done for us and so happy that you're still going.

We wish you were still with us, as I know you do, but you got more important things to take care of right now, and we're all behind you, praying or you, and we love you, and wish you nothing but the best and so glad to see you today, and congratulations for this beautiful honor and thank you for all that you've done and meant to me personally, but to Clemson and South Carolina, as well.

It's really impressive and it means a lot.

Thank you very much.

>> Tony is dedicated to his family and he talks about his family a lot, but your service to others and the way that you treat everybody.

It doesn't matter if Tony Melton is talking to a homeowner who has one little rosebush...he makes that person feel just as important as when he's talking to Kemp McLeod.

who's on a multimillion dollar farming operation.

His ability to take care of people, his ability to appreciate everything that he's ever been given.

His ability to have a desire to make the place better is evident in what Tony Melton does, and Tony I can promise you, Clemson Cooperative Extension Service is a better place because of Tony Melton.

Not, because of Michael McManus or Cory Tanner or Tom Dobbins, because you have been part of our family for so long.

And what you have done, you have been a shining example of the way things should be done.

So thank you very, very much.

I've been the director here almost nine years now, And when I first got here, I had this idea that I wanted to try to spur some farm to market, some more vegetable work, some high value... marketing to serve the...tourist industry around here.

And I found out about Tony Melton.

And not knowing any better I asked him if he would maybe do some vegetables over here on some of the worst land we had.

And I didn't realize I was giving him a second full time job.

He epitomizes everything, I think of, when I think of an extension agent.

He's knowledgeable.

He's friendly, He's going to come do it, he's going to put down anything else to go to serve a customer that needs...his knowledge, and I'm very grateful.

He took on a personal project to try to get us some warm weather butter beans.

He's been working on that for a number of years with a few others and they're still - we recently replanted, so we get another season on them this year.

You know, we're just so glad that he's been here and he's going to have a long lasting legacy well beyond this tree, I hope, and this, you know, the brass sign and all of that because of his work on vegetables, other people have noticed and thought that Pee Dee ought to be doing some work on vegetables and we are now in the process of hiring two brand new faculty positions, one in vegetable breeding and one in vegetable pathology to be located here at the Pee Dee R.E.C and that is really all entirely due to Tony's efforts.

I'm so grateful.

I'm grateful to have him around.

He and I are almost exactly the same age and I keep - I've been calling him Old Man, then I realized he was my age, But I'm just proud to have you and consider you a friend and you've done a lot for me in the Pee Dee R.E.C.

So, thank you very much.

And with that, I think you get to say something.

>> I'm the most blessed person on the face of this earth.

Thank you Lord.

I've been..I come from like Dr Dobbins said, barefoot and picking cotton and butter beans on my granddaddy's farm in McBee through working with Kemp McLeod for so many years and I've been brought up from from the poorest to poor to got to go to Clemson University E.B.

Earl led me up that way and just really, really - It was amazing, when I first got there and saw the university.

We've always thought when I was growing up that Clemson University was our salvation.

It was a part of what was going to make our lives much better.

It's Clemson University.

And I know that Clemson University has done so much for the state of South Carolina and they going to keep going with good folks like they have here.

They going to keep going.

They going to keep telling and working and helping and getting farmers to do much better and keep going in South Carolina, because we really truly need Clemson University's help and assistance and knowledge everything that goes with Clemson University.

I was nothing but I'd assist to the people of South Carolina, anything they ever needed, that's what I tried to do.

That's what we need to do as the university, and as Extension service to do things that will give people of South Carolina a much better life.

That's where we need to be.

We need to think about the people of South Carolina every day that we work.

I thank y'all so very much for coming.

♪ calming music ♪ Amanda>> They're still expanding the garden, that honors Tony and using plants that he thought were special that had special meaning to him, and the awards didn't stop and the recognition didn't stop there.

I think Clemson gave him a very important award.

Terasa>> Yes, he became a member of the Lever Hall of Fame which recognizes outstanding South Carolina Extension professionals.

Amanda>> And it didn't stop there.

There were other awards and honors that came too.

♪ >> I will simply say on behalf of Arbor One Farm Credit to thank you, the people you've helped the lives that you have touched, for all the farms that you have made a better place, and it's just a token of our appreciation, I want to present you with this plaque today, Reading: the deepest appreciation, we hereby honor Tony Melton for his service and lifetime dedication to agriculture in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina.

Thank you so much.

(applause) I'd like to take a personal opportunity to thank Tony for his mentorship.

Again, you're certainly a role model, and your career should be mirrored by other extension agents.

In this room, a lot of intelligent people, but I'm telling you, Tony is the only man I know that knows something from A to Z, that's apples to zucchinis.

>> But I know one thing, you could always count on Tony, No matter what.

I don't care if it was Saturday afternoon at four o'clock, you call him up.

You might get his voice message, but he will call you back.

But he's led me through many of trial.

>> And I just want to say there's an extension agents' creed and if I don't want to read it to you.

It's long.

But Tony embodies everything about that extension agents' creed.

And you are leaving behind such a wonderful legacy that we will all work towards to fulfill, Tony.

Thank you for everything that you've done.

>> I am indeed honored to be here today and to be able to present this, this high honor to such a deserving person, my good friend, Tony Melton.

Let me say to his family.

Let's see.

Family, thank you for sharing Tony with us, for over the past 40 years.

You too, have...made tremendous sacrifice.

We say to you, thank you.

This is the highest civilians' award that can be given or bestowed upon a citizen here in the great state of South Carolina.

Tony has earned this.

He has touched so many lives.

His name is a household name.

Everybody knows and respect and admire your knowledge.

You're like E.F. Hutton.

When Tony speaks, everybody listens, because, you know, Tony knows what he's talking about.

Tony is a doer, not a talker.

Tony does not mind getting his hands dirty.

You get in the trenches.

He is a problem solver.

It's kind of like the doctor, but he is the plant doctor and is a darn good one, and so Tony, let me say to you, we appreciate you.

We thank you for your many,, many years of service, that you have rendered to the citizens of this great state that we love so much, South Carolina.

Tony, so it gives me great pleasure to present the Order of the Palmetto to you on behalf of the Governor Henry Dargan McMaster, of the great state of South Carolina, and it says state of South Carolina in grateful recognition of contributions and friendship to the state of South Carolina and her people, I do hereby confer upon Anthony Tony Melton, the Order of the Palmetto with all the rights and privileges appertaining thereto, Signed Henry Dargan McMaster, governor of the great state of South Carolina.

Please join me in presenting this award to none other than my good friend, my brother, one who I dearly respect, admire and love deeply.

We bid you Godspeed and we will continue to keep you, Tony and the family in our prayers.

Thank you.

(applause) Tony>> Wow!

There's not much else I can say is wow!

Thank you so much.

I need to realize that to each one of y'all that are brothers, sisters I hear you.

You need to realize that you're making truly a true difference in this world.

You have really touched people's lives.

You know, I didn't really realize that I was going to have all this type of stuff.

I didn't know what was going on today and all this, It's just truly, truly wonderful.

...You might not get plaques and stuff like this, but truly, you got to realize that you're touching people's lives.

You all touch people's lives, as far as you're feeding so many beds of people you know farmers, corn mazes, pumpkin patches and the strawberries and everything that you're doing out there is so wonderful.

You're just touching people.

It's just truly, truly I thank you so, so very much.

I thank you for Making It Grow, for Arbor One, all of you folks for coming.

It's just truly, truly a blessing to me.

I've been so blessed.

You know I was just a poor old boy.

I've been so very blessed and touched by everything that's been done in my life.

I've been humbled, even more you know.

People is the reason.

People are the reason.

You want to be out there and touching other people's lives.

That is makes a difference.

It is worth it.

Thank you.

(applause) Amanda>> Tony's dearest friend and work, working, work colleague Pam Barnhill was tireless in seeing that was that special day came, and it obviously meant a great deal to Tony.

And one of the days when Tony was feeling pretty good, He came over here.

And I sat with us and talked about really his philosophy of life and what had guided him and given him the strength to accomplish all the things he did.

It was a wonderful time to talk with someone we loved so much and I think his philosophy is one that would make all of us better people as well.

I'm here today, happily sitting next to my wonderful friend Tony Melton, who, gosh, Tony have probably learned more about horticulture and farming with you sitting here on the side of Making It Grow than all those years at Clemson.

>> Well, I've been around.

I had seen a lot of things in my 60 years of being out there.

That's even, because I started picking cotton when I was three years old.

>> You got a cute little story about that.

Tell me.

>> Yeah, My grand-daddy, he took a flour sack.

<Amanda> A flour sack.

>> And put a little strap on it.

...and I could drag it through the fields and start picking cotton, because the cotton, they weren't tall cotton, because it was short cotton, and we called it bumble bee cotton.

>> Bumblebee?

>> Yeah, the bumblebee would bump it's butt against the ground when he tried to pollinate, because it was so short, because of the dry conditions up on that sandy land in McBee.

>> Yeah, that McBee it's hard to grow a crop there.

>> It is.

It's tough to grow anything.

I think it's an amazing testament to farmers and things they can grow on that type of soil.

Today we got irrigation.

We didn't have it in those days, but back in those days, you had to find the right soil and the right place, which is good to do anyway.

It's not - just try to find a good place - quality soil that really makes a crop.

>> - and that suits the crop, yeah.

That's one reason, I guess that our wonderful friends, the McLeod's, Kemp says that McBee's really just like the beach without the girls in the bathing suits, because you're a big sand dune, but that's good for peach roots.

It keeps them from rotting so much.

There's some advantages to that.

>> Drainage.

Drainage is very important.

We found that out the last few years.

A lot of crops have drowned.

It don't take long.

I usually say about three hours of water.

<Amanda> Standing?

>> of most vegetables standing, and you could have dead fields, huge dead fields and then you're out of luck.

>> People just don't realize too much water is just as bad as not enough sometimes.

You went on, your family, y'all were almost kind of subsistence - although your father had a wonderful job, but, y'all really grew your food.

>> Yep we really did.

I worked.

We always, all of us worked.

We started out.

I helped with picking cotton for grand-daddy I think was five cent a pound, but we always grew - Daddy had this large piece of land, that he grew crops and stuff on.

We grow butter beans and peas.

We'd pick them and he's sell of them.

Corn, sweet corn, and we'd have some of that and we'd grow that, and he'd sell some of it but most of it was used to feed our family >> - because you got a big family.

>> Yep.

I was number eight.

I was number eight.

I was the baby of the group and then they adopted another.

There was nine of us total, and then there was a lot to be growing.

Then when I got through picking cotton, grand-daddy changed crops because he couldn't do cotton no more because the cotton pickers was coming around at the time then.

Then we started out with butter beans.

Grand-daddy was picking.

That's like going from the frying pan - That's tough to get down and pick butter beans all day and I remember I used to make 50 cents a bucket.

>> ...Tony, you still butter beans and southern peas have been a large part of your work and research, I believe, even after you got to Clemson when you went to experimental farm, you would not believe Doctor Ogle did a lot of work on trying to get some larger southern peas.

>> That's right.

We did.

We worked to develop the varieties, Colossus, Colossus 80, Hercules Ogle variety, and one of my biggest babies that I worked with totally from front to back was Clemson purple.

<Amanda> Clemson purple.

>> Clemson purple is still a good one.

Well, they're all good, but there are bigger ones and people have kind of fallen away from the big seeded ones.

They want the smaller seeded ones, but Clemson Purple is doing good.

>> I think you even did some work on improving the okra that Clemson is so famous for.

>> Clemson's Spineless 80.

We went to Clemson's Spineless and brought it.

What we did we selected for consistency.

In other words, you can look out through the field and you can see one end to the other It was all the same.

So we took the Clemson Spineless and slated it for consistency so it would have the same plant from one end to the other, so you could pick it and handle it a lot easier.

Yeah, there's a lot of other crops including Carolina Hot, which was a pepper.

We helped develop the Carolina hot pepper, which was not the Carolina reaper, but the Carolina Hot.

It's just not a real hot pepper.

>> Hot enough to use without killing yourself.

>> That's right.

I tell you, these days, people love spicy foods, Amanda.

>> Tony, but then you got a master's degree and you became an Extension Agent.

Where did they send you first?

>> I came down from the horticulture department at Clemson where I was growing crops in the Clemson bottoms.

<Amanda> Yep, still there today.

>> It's still there today beside the football field.

Came down to Florence, Darlington County to help farmers grow the different crops that are in that area, all the vegetable type crops.

And then butter beans, still.

People in South Carolina love their butter beans.

especially their speckle.

They like them and they like that colored, we call it likker.

It's a dark likker.

>> The pot likker.

It takes on the color from that speckling in the beans.

>> That's right and they love to take the corn bread and sop up that pot likker.

>> We all do.

Yeah.

>> Yes it's still big.

>> So, you became a small fruit veg specialist and a vegetable specialist.

You've really had a lot of counties in which you tried to help the farmers.

>> Moved here from down two or three counties and moved up to 10 or 12.

I have been blessed to work with some of the greatest people on the face of this earth.

A lot of the farmers and I would call each other brothers.

If I was too old, they would call me uncle.

(laughs) Uncle Tony.

Then, a lot of my brothers, we just bonded together.

I think that's the main thing for a County agent.

Is the love of people.

Is to love what you're doing and helping to people and showing them and making South Carolina a better place for the people of South Carolina and loving folks.

That's county agents and they ...all County agents should know that.

You don't work for Clemson University.

You work for the people of South Carolina.

You're there to help the people of South Carolina and make a better life for their folk.

>> ...by doing that you show and tell them the ways to best be stewards of the land at the same time.

>> That's right.

>> So, you're protecting our environment and helping these people stay sustainable as farmers, so that they can keep that land in agriculture.

We want to keep every bit of land and agriculture.

>> That's the basis of the Extension service, right there.

It does work, that we are here to help folks take care of the land, take care of themselves, and really take care of the world around us.

Amanda>> Terasa, our lives were richer.

♪ Terasa>> They sure were.

>>...with Tony.

>>He was a model, Extension agent, a model human being in my opinion.

He was industrious usually to work before the crack of dawn and probably had two breakfasts, you know, before I even walked through the door, would give you the shirt off his back, knew what seemed like everything and could translate, very complex scientific information into something that anyone could understand.

He once told me that the key to being a good Extension agent was to have the want to, W-A-N-T, the want to.

Tony had the want to.

Amanda>>...I would like to paraphrase Roger Kipling, and say that Tony could walk with kings and with paupers and he saw no difference in his willingness to help them.

A very special man whom we will miss, and thank you all for letting us tell you all about how we feel about Tony as I know he touched many of your lives as well.

♪ calm music ♪ Making it grow is brought to you in part by the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Certified South Carolina grown helps consumers identify, find and buy South Carolina products.

McLeod farms in McBee, South Carolina, this family farm offers seasonal produce, including over 22 varieties of peaches.

Additional funding provided by international paper and the South Carolina Farm Bureau Federation and Farm Bureau insurance