Meet Our Farmers
Clay Wilson
Florida citrus grower Clay Wilson is a member of Florida's Natural Growers.
In the Valencia grove that he considers the showpiece of his operation, it's clear that Clay Wilson is doing more than just inspecting citrus trees. He's surveying his family's rich citrus heritage.
The original groves were planted in the 1930s by his grandfather, Latimer Maxcy, but a major freeze in the 1980's paralyzed all the trees from growing fruit. Clay's father, Pat Wilson, had always dreamed of rebuilding the dormant groves, and in the late 90's they replanted trees as beautiful as those before.
Being the grandson and son of such pioneers in the industry is never lost on him, and though they are no longer here to guide him as a citrus grower, the context of his family's values is as striking as the trees around him. As he watches his own son Von Peyton darting between the trees in one of his family's first groves, he can't help but speculate about what his grandfather would say if he saw the continued success of his family vision.
"He'd be very proud," he says. "Proud of our spirit to grow."
