For Virginia Salmon, driving up to the future site of Stewart Orchids was a bit like peeking to see if Santa Claus had arrived on Christmas morning.

&uot;This is so exciting,&uot; said Salmon, president of the Adams County Board of Supervisors.

Stewart Orchids owners Steve and Mary Jo McNerney and local officials met at the Foster Mound industrial site Tuesday morning to hold a ground-breaking ceremony for the company. &uot;This is a momentous occasion for Stewart Orchids,&uot; Steve McNerney said.

Stewart Orchids is one of America’s largest and oldest full service orchid nurseries. In March, the company announced plans to move its operations from Carpinteria, Calif., to Natchez.

Since Mary Jo McNerney grew up in Natchez the couple has a local connection. &uot;I cannot tell you what it means to be coming home,&uot;&160;Mary Jo said. &uot;It’s very special.&uot;

Salmon was also glad to have a family returning to Natchez. &uot;We have here people coming back,&uot; she said. &uot;We have a native daughter coming home.&uot;

So many times people say, children have to move away from Natchez, Salmon said.

The company has started construction on the first of three greenhouses that will cover 65,000 square feet each. The site will also include office and laboratory space and will cover 10 of the 302 acres on the property.

Wally Kirk, chairman of the Natchez-Adams County Economic Development Authority, thanked all the people who worked to bring Stewart Orchids to Natchez.

He compared the project to a statement made by First Lady Hillary Clinton, who has often said &uot;it takes a village to raise a child.&uot;

Kirk told the group at the ground breaking &uot;it takes a community, a county and a state to raise an industry.&uot;

The McNerneys have operated Stewart Orchids since 1997. They plan to begin operations in Natchez in September with 15 to 20 employees.