The attraction and retention of business is key to Caroline’s future. Some of the important positions and votes Jeff has taken on business issues are covered in “Working for Caroline’s Future”. Elected officials who welcome local industry can provide a foundation for fostering a vibrant business community in Caroline.
Joining Senator Mark Warner, Congressman Rob Wittman and Virginia First Lady, Anne Holton was a “business highlight” of Jeff’s first year on the Board of Supervisors in 2008. While celebrating the ground breaking of the Virginia State Fair at the Meadow Event Park, birthplace of legendary Triple Crown Winner Secretariat, Jeff got a chance to experience work behind a real plow. He then took the opportunity to spend some time with a grandson of the famous equine athlete. The property has since been sold to Virginia Farm Bureau who will continue to operate the State Fair in Caroline.
The Primary Growth Area I-95 and Carmel Church
MC Dean is located in Caroline’s Primary Growth Area on the I-95 Corridor and Carmel Chruch.
MC Dean is one of Caroline County’s largest employers and has purchased adjoining land at its facilities near Carmel Church doubling the company’s land holdings. The electrical engineering firm has operations in two buildings on about 70 acres off Colemans Mill Road about one mile south of Rogers Clark Boulevard. The company’s existing facilities encompass 370,000 square feet and employ about 200 people. They are involved in assembling, testing, warehousing, and distributing electronic, security, and telecommunications equipment. M.C. Dean, which is headquartered in Dulles, has expanded steadily since opening operations in Caroline.
The company chose the Caroline site because of its proximity to Interstate 95 and U.S. 301, lower real estate costs, quality workforce, and the ability to expand. On its company website, M.C. Dean calls itself “the nation’s premier electrical design-build and systems integration firm for complex, mission-critical organizations.” Its capabilities include electrical, electronic security, telecommunications, life-safety, instrumentation, and command and control systems, according to the company.The company’s customers include Fortune 1000 corporations, universities, high tech and biotech firms, government, and other organizations “with large scale, complex, and mission-critical infrastructure needs.”
Also in 2014, Jeff put in some time inside the workspace and warehouse at M.C. Dean with Fabrication Manager, Richard Nicolson. M.C. Dean is one of Caroline County’s largest employers, and has purchased adjoining land at its facilities near Carmel Church more than doubling the company’s land holdings. The electrical engineering firm has operations in two buildings on about 70 acres off Colemans Mill Road about one mile south of Rogers Clarke Boulevard. The company’s facilities, located about three miles east of Carmel Church, encompass 370,000 square feet and employ about 200 people. They are involved in assembling, testing, warehousing, and distributing electronic, security, and telecommunications equipment.M.C. Dean, which is headquartered in Dulles, has expanded steadily since opening operations in Caroline.
Supporting Small Business Countywide
Joining L.J. Moyer, Caroline Chamber of Commerce President in 2009 and Mayor Nancy Long in the Town of Port Royal for the opening of Buster’s Restaurant on the Rappahannock River (now Riverview).
The Perfect Industry In the Perfect Location
In 2014, Jeff voted for the expansion of an existing sand and gravel mine on the Caroline and King William border which employs forty people. There are 5.6 million tons of sand and gravel on the land and about 400,000 tons are excavated each year. $52,000 per year is estimated to be paid in machine and tools taxes as well as roll back taxes on the land for five years as each new cell is opened. Here Jeff and Manager Tim Bevard look at the different colors and textures and size of stone produced by the mine.
On May 21st 2015, Jeff was proud to cut the ribbon on a brand new 6 million dollar investment in the Bowling Green District. “Nothing pleases me more”said Sili, “than to support efforts to locate businesses which are compatible with the various land uses in rural Caroline. Compatible business in rural areas is an often over looked part of the economic development engine needed to fuel the county. This property was a former sawmill and required no infrastructure or pay out from citizen tax dollars, so it was indeed the perfect industry in the perfect location. It was a win, win to vote to bring them to Caroline. This served the dual objective of creating jobs and revenue in the positive.” The John Rock Sawmill Company began 42 years ago in a family garage in Pennsylvania. Now serving many fortune 500 companies, John Rock has become a recognized leader in quality and competitive pricing in wooden pallet production. The company produces new pallets, heat treated pallets, GMA pallets, custom wooden pallets and recycled and re manufactured wooden pallets. John Rock’s manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania is located in the largest industrial manufacturing corridor in the United States. With a company owned fleet of late model tractor trailers, their location allows them to achieve three day delivery for regular customers. In 1997, John Rock and Company was purchased by employee Bill MacCauley who kept the founders name and renamed it John Rock Inc. They employ 200 people which includes 25 jobs at the Caroline County facility.
“Road improvements, especially in a rural county can facilitate business in a big way. Jeff was honored to be invited as a panelist representing local government at The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce’s Transportation Summit in August of 2015” Read Article HERE
Our Agricultural Heritage -Old and New
Agriculture continues to be important to the local economy with a number of Centennial farms still in operation by original Caroline families. Others like Robbie Caruthers, of Triple Crown Produce moved to Caroline to live at historic Newmarket Plantation, rediscovering family roots, while cultivating many hundreds of acres. Brian and Kim Criley of Slow Grown in Virginia are fairly new to the area, but are making the most of a beautiful track of land in the Woodford area. (www.slowgrowninvirginia.com/) In this picture below, of the Town of Bowling Green’s Farmer’s Market, Cheryl English of English Acres Nursery is shown with former Market Manager, Mark Mallin holding up her wares for sale. Jeff often challenges folks who say you can’t buy it locally. You’d be surprised what Caroline has to offer if you take a look.
Cheryl English and Mark Mallin show off annuals grown at English Acres Nursery.
On 301 South, Robbie Caruthers of Newmarket Plantation sells fresh produce. His shiny green building beckoned last year with a new banner.
Also on 301 Whispering Pines Nursery is the place to go for the very best Christmas Trees. Family owned and operated by Darell and Nona Schwartz and their sons.
No Autumn season is complete without a trip by the Sili’s to Beazleys on 301 south. If stored in a cool dry place like a garage, some varieties last until April or even May. Susan takes a day and bakes most of the pumpkins and freezes the puree which is later turned into soups, cakes, breads, muffins and pies. All grown in Caroline County Virginia!
“Beazley’s Pumpkin Patch might be the only place in the Fredericksburg area where people can buy exotic items like Australian Blue or red-warted pumpkins, then pick a bag of kale and collard greens for $2. The unusual combination is in addition to pear-shaped gourds turned into birdhouses, snakelike gourds painted like Santa Claus and a garden-variety pumpkin decorated to look like Dracula with a black stem and white fangs. “I just look at them and figure out what I can make from them,” said Linda Beazley, the creative half of the mom-and-pop operation in Caroline County. A.W. Beazley is the grower. On the 300-acre family farm on Beazley Lane, off U.S. 301 south of Bowling Green, he raises pumpkins of various shapes and colors, along with gourds, straw and corn stalks.” 2011 article in the Free Lance Star Newspaper by Chelyn Davis
One of the youngest owners of a cottage industry in Caroline was young Andrew Haley who hails from a long line of Caroline County farmers (300 years worth) Hardcorner Farm was a full service family affair with a goal to grow high quality seasonal vegetables, pumpkins, gourds, and natural Christmas decorations like those shown in the pictures below. The China Fir wreaths were made to order and delivered to the Sili House for their Christmas windows in 2012. Andrew is pursing his education now at Woodbury High School in Madison County with a couple of years of first hand business experience already behind him.
Cottage Industries are going strong in Caroline, and Slow Grown in Virginia is expanding by leaps and bounds and is much more than the term “cottage” implies. They provide high-quality food and health products, locally grown the natural way. Located at Spring Hill Farm in Woodford they produce delicious, healthful pasture-raised poultry & eggs, produce, bath & body care, and herbal teas. All bath, & body items are made from naturally grown ingredients and, just like their produce and meats, contain no synthetic ingredients, including the fragrances- safe for your body and the environment!
The Rt 639 Farmers Market This event takes place every Thursday June 4th- September 3rd 2015 from 4-8pm . They are located in the front parking lot of CT Smith School, formerly known as the CDLC and LES, in Ladysmith Virginia. This is a vibrant market that visitors and locals alike will not want to miss. Here you will find a fine variety of crafters, producers/grower and artisans. The variety here for a small market is amazing with naturally grown meats like grass fed beef, free range chickens, naturally raised pork, eggs, freshly baked artisinal breads, cheeses and heirloom vegetables.