http://www2.scnow.com/news/pee-dee/2012/mar/05/demonstration-grafting-fruit-trees-be-held-olanta--ar-3353867/
Demonstration on grafting fruit trees to be held at Olanta library
By: SCNow Staff | SCNow
Published: March 05, 2012
OLANTA, S.C. -- Stan McKenzie, owner and operator of McKenzie Farms and Nursery, will give a demonstration on grafting fruit trees at the Dr. John M. Thomason Public Library at 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 14.
After the demonstration, McKenzie will team with Clemson Extension Agent Tony Melton of Making It Grow! to field audience questions. Refreshments will be served; the sponsor of the event is Friends of the Olanta Public Library.
McKenzies operation is located between Lake City and Olanta and has been in business since the mid-1960s. He grows watermelons, squash and sweet potatoes, among other things, during the summer season followed by cabbage and collard greens during winter. Cold hardy citrus and other fruit trees, eucalyptus, and some palms are specialties.
McKenzie finds special satisfaction growing and selling citrus trees. I like to eat the fruit, he says. Also, I was told by experts that citrus trees wouldnt grow in this area. So I took that as a challenge. He now grows and grafts 40 different species of citrus.
Melton has appeared for 18 years on Making It Grow!, the popular S.C. ETV program that covers a wide variety of horticultural topics relevant to South Carolina. He says they receive as many as 3,000 calls each show.
As an extension agent, Melton helps people in 13 South Carolina counties grow everything from vegetables to ornamental plants. He particularly enjoys visiting farms and helping farmers.
