South Carolina ETV

Making It Grow! News Articles

October 2, 2005

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Where does the time go? We all ask that question in our jobs, raising
our children, and many other parts of our lives. I ask that question
right now as we enter the 12th season and 300th show of Making It Grow
on ETV of South Carolina.

It seems like yesterday that out first broadcast in October of 1993
featured Garnay Inc. (large ginko farm in Sumter County) and Cruse
Vineyards near Chester. Since then we have featured gardens, artists,
agritourism, museums, and even some festivals. It has been quite an
educational experience for a native South Carolinian who thought he
knew everything there was to know about his home state.

As I make presentations around South Carolina, I constantly remind
people in the audience about the richness of the Palmetto State. We
are not as big geographically and economically as many other states,
but when it comes to the uniqness and diversity of people, plants, and
terrain, South Carolina is simply unsurpassed.

Travel with me now from Caesar's Head to Hilton Head and from Aiken to
the Grand Stran, and you will have to admit that we have no equal. The
people, plants and terrain are quite different in the mountains and
Piedmont as compared to areas of the low-country. All of this
diversity and uniqueness gives us a very speical state.

We frequently get questions about what is our favorite place or story.
There is no answer because most of them are so different. My most
enjoyable featured segments deal with people, not plants, gardens, or
animals.

Phillip Simmons, an artist in Charleston who grew up on Daniel Island
in the 1920's as a blacksmith on a farm, is famous today on the
Eastern Seaboard for his artistic skills in building wroughtiron gates
for gardens. Mr. Simmons had no formal education, but rather, an
unusual skill in knowing how to bend metal for gates and other
ornamental structures. Even though his skill is unsurpassed, his life
from a rural farm worker to a highly recognized artist, is my opinion,
the real story.

There are many other personalities who have fascinated me. Laverne,
who cooks barbeque on Hwy 521 at Cooper's Country Store in
Williamsburg County, and Lewis Holloway, who carves using fat lighter
wood in upper Pickens County, are true artisans in their own fields.
Each has a story of significant accoplishments in their lives.

To comemorate our 12 years on the air, I invite you to join us on ETV
at 7:30pm on Tuesday, Oct 4 for a special edition of Making It Grow.
Joining me on the set will be Jim Barnard and Ed Sexauer who were
involved in the program's conception. Will Anderson, current station
manager of WRJA in Sumter will also be with us. We will all look back
over the past 12 years at some of the stories and personalities.

What does the future hold for the program? Beginning Tuesday, Oct 11
we go to a hour program beginning each week at 7pm rather than the old
time of 7:30pm. Our first show will air to you live from the Ruff
Building of the State Fair. I invite you to come and be part of the
audience.