Dr. Barbara Casselberry Carlton of Lumpkin, Georgia, married Albert Carlton of Wauchula, Florida, a sixth-generation agricultural family landholder. They became known for their natural resource management passion, receiving several Environmental Stewardship awards for their Florida land management activities. Albert and Dr. Barbara’s children, Will, Julie, Pat, and Charlie, have carried this legacy on as they preserved an environmentally rare parcel of Jackson County, North Carolina, in a project that has become "Chinquapin." This one-of-a-kind development has set aside over 700 acres in a permanent conservation easement, assuring future generations enjoyment of what God created and benefit from nature's healing effect on their lives.
The new Millennium offered an opportunity for the Carlton Family to pass the legacy of land stewardship on to the grandchildren. The next generation is continuing the worthy process of caring for and learning from all the natural diversity the Creator has provided. According to Dr. Barbara, this east central Georgia land parcel was a “jewel in the rough” waiting on a little "polishing" up. An avid wing shooter and preserver of wildlife habitat, Barbara always put family first. Jewel Mill was developed as a place for the family to retreat from the stress of daily life and get connected with Family and Friends, enjoying the privacy and solitude that a large parcel of land provides while teaching this next generation the responsibility of land stewardship and the joy of caring for God’s great creation.
The Carlton Family is now opening the doors of their family retreat center to a limited number of guests. This unique opportunity allows others to benefit from the serene and pristine environment, providing a fulfilling experience of retreating in nature.
