After a long-awaited arrival, the 4-H & Youth Development Center at Lone Oaks Farms in Middleton opened the cabin doors to campers in the summer of 2023.
Lone Oaks Farms
Since the closure of the West Tennessee 4-H Center in Milan in 2009, western region 4-H counties have been traveling to 4-H camp in Columbia. Lone Oaks Farms, located between Jackson and Memphis, is a project that began in 2015 when UT Extension was looking for a new site for the West Tennessee 4-H Center. Construction began in 2021 and the camp officially opened for summer camp in May 2023. The project grew from a simple summer camp into so much more, with the opportunities available on the grounds for year-round programming focused on youth development and a working farm.
See more: Successful Picnic at the Fair Funds 4-H Camp Scholarships
“We’re always working to add activities and programs to the facility all year long as well as improving what we have already, so we have a great balance between educational and recreational programming,” says Penny Russell, 4-H Youth Development Center director. “We’re broadening our offerings so we can meet the needs of all our visiting groups and provide students with experiences that are unique to our facility.”
Since its purchase, UT Extension has been revitalizing and renovating the beautiful grounds of Lone Oaks Farms to meet the needs of 4-H camp in the summer and day trips throughout the school year and improve facilities for visitors or corporate retreats. Today, the facility serves as a place for education, agriculture, conservation, hospitality, tourism and community development to all come together.
Lone Oaks Farms
“The facility is so diverse,” Russell says. “We have a world-class sporting clays complex on the far side of the farm, multiple houses for rent on the property, as well as a heifer development and hay production programs. Outdoor STEM education has been a priority from the beginning, but our new facilities allow us to expand our opportunities for innovative education.”
The 1,200-acre farm and 4-H & Youth Development Center offers a STEM building, a wet lab, a 2-acre garden, a dining hall, a low ropes course, ziplines, 16 lakes and 13 residences, plus a working farm where hay, livestock, and fruit and vegetable crops are produced.
See more: Electric Camp Inspires Young Scientists and Engineers
“It’s our own piece of paradise,” Russell says. “And we love being able to share it with our guests.”
For the 2023 summer, the camp hosted six weeks of 4-H camp with 11 counties. For summer 2024, they are expecting to have six weeks of 4-H camp as well as a couple of weeks of junior high camp. It will be the first summer in which all the western region counties will have an opportunity to camp at the new facility. The camp is staffed by Russell, the facility and camp director, as well as three full-time STEM educators who have previous classroom experience.
Lone Oaks Farms
“We run STEM and related programs throughout the year,” Russell says. “It’s so important to us that no matter when or how long the students are here, we want students connected with the outdoors and nature. All our programs are based around hands-on, outdoor experiences that are grounded in educational standards.”
If you want to be part of improving and expanding the 4-H & Youth Development Center camp facilities at Lone Oaks Farms or book a night away to see for yourself, visit loneoaksfarm.com. Help 4-H’ers go to camp and support additional camp improvements by giving online.