THE BENNETTS
Meet the Bennett’s. Jaron, Michelle, Caden, and Addison. Jaron and Michelle met in high school and started dating in 2009. After college, they got married and moved to Florida where Jaron pursued his career in the construction industry, but the dream of one day running a business of their own was always present in their minds. After almost a decade away from family, the draw to come back closer to home was stronger than ever before. In the spring of 2024, their sights were set on starting a sawmill business from scratch and hoping to one day own all the tools necessary to turn rough cut lumber into finished products such as boards, specialty mouldings, and even live edge tables. During their search for property to start the sawmill business, they happened upon a custom cabinet shop for sale in Woodville, Alabama. The cabinet shop came with all the equipment they needed for the sawmill business, but they didn’t realize their vision of what the business looked like was about to drastically change. They decided to shift their focus to include cabinet building, something they had never considered before but that fits their experience well.
Jaron received his Bachelor of Science in Building Construction from Auburn University in 2015 and has been working with one of the world’s largest construction companies for the last 9 years. While working on over 300 million dollars worth of hospital expansions across the state of Florida, Jaron has gained invaluable experience leading teams and problem solving the constant daily challenges presented in such a complex vein of the construction industry. Prior to completing college, he was employed at the Anniston Army Depot for several years rebuilding the army’s M1A1 Abrams tanks. His extensive understanding of working with his hands stems not only from his professional career, but from being raised with a mechanic for a grandfather, a physics teacher and small engine repair shop owner for a father, and a site work business owner for a godfather. He comes from a long line of successful business owners who passed on the knowledge of their crafts and their unfaltering work ethic.
Michelle received her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Alabama in 2013. Following graduation, she worked for the Alabama Department of Transportation overseeing highway maintenance for the entire state. After moving to Florida, she found a passion for local outreach while on staff at a community focused church in Sarasota. During this time she was simultaneously handling the business administration for a local communications company. Her experience in these two positions has provided an understanding of the minute details of how a business operates while also gleaning the methods with which a large organization can be successful and impact the local community through a heart of giving. Her detail oriented nature and her heart for giving
If you’ve read along until now you might be wondering “But what about the old man and the apples?” We haven’t forgotten that. It all started back in 2009 with an old man, a bucket full apples, and a cider mill. Right after they started dating, Jaron and Michelle loved making apple cider with Jaron’s grandfather from the apples that grew behind Jaron’s house. The cider mill was left to them when Jaron’s grandfather died and this first mill was the inspiration behind the name Applewood Mills. Their dream is to one day have a small shop that not only showcases custom built items for sale from the sawmill, but also a selection of homemade apple butter, apple pie, and of course apple cider made on that same old cider mill from all those years ago.