Clayton Holton (right) visits with Scott Angle (center), UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences dean, and Joe West (left), executive vice president of McCleskey Mills, during the 2008 Georgia Peanut Tour.
For those who attend the Georgia Peanut Tour annually, they noticed one individual missing this year. That individual, Clayton Holton, attended the tour every year and always had a questions ready for each tour stop. Unfortunately, Holton passed away a couple of weeks before the tour on Friday, September 3, 2010 at his residence. He resided in Murphy, N.C. He was a native of Dougherty County, Ga. and was a member of the National Peanut Research Association and one of the first certified crop advisors in Georgia. He had a great knowledge of geography. Clayton was man of the year in Soil and Water Conservation Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District. Clayton enjoyed farming, horses and traveling the mountains. This year on the peanut tour, his wife – Sharon and nephew – Rob, attended the tour to carry out one tradition that was so important to Clayton. According to Sharon, Clayton loved the Georgia Peanut Tour for many reasons including:
1. He could learn from all the latest research that the scientists are proving and sharing!
2. He could meet interesting people such as the lady who had her own combine!
3. He could learn new techniques from growers in the field.
4. He could learn new strategies for farming more economically.
5. He could learn the newest Peanut Varieties and their strengths.
6. He could enjoy the comraderie with other people who had interest in feeding more of the world’s hungry with quality food.
7. He could share funny stories.
The reasons Clayton loved attending the tour annually are most likely some of the same reasons many individuals attend today. The tour provides an outlet for learning about the peanut industry but it also provides an avenue for meeting life-long friends in this wonderful industry. Clayton, you will be greatly missed but not forgotten.