Children run through barns, enthralled in learning about agriculture, natural resources, and the environment. The Arethusa Farm Camp is nestled among the old whitewash barns that once held the nation’s leading dairy cattle. The camp hosted its first summer of campers in 2025, and promises to yield lasting memories for the youth participants.
“We had no idea Isabel would love the camp so much. She came home glowing about the experience she had,” one parent shares.
“The animals were her favorite part, she wished there was more time to learn about all of them. Helping bottle feed a calf was a big hit! She is definitely looking forward to going to camp again,” explains another parent.
Bill Davenport, the UConn 4-H Litchfield County assistant extension educator and camp coordinator says, “This camp is about more than just summer fun — it’s about connecting kids to the land, animals, and the essential role of agriculture in our daily lives.”
A New Partnership and Way Forward
The Arethusa Farm 4-H Camp, a collaboration between the newly established Arethusa Farm Foundation and UConn 4-H Litchfield County, welcomes youth for an engaging summer of hands-on agricultural education. This partnership brings together the expertise of UConn 4-H and the rich agricultural heritage of Arethusa Farm to provide an immersive learning experience for children ages five through 13.
In 1999, the late George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgaitis purchased the Webster family farm with the intention of saving open farmland. In 2001, they became interested in establishing their own dairy herd, and by 2009, the farm began bottling milk, producing ice cream and cheese, and opened two retail stores.
In 2023, the Arethusa Farm Foundation was established to accept a generous gift from Anthony Yurgaitis, a significant portion of the historic Arethusa Farm property. The camp now sits on nearly 164 acres and has 19 buildings that house educational and agricultural activities.
History of 4-H Camps and Litchfield County
4-H camping dates to the early 1930s when camps were open only to 4-H members. However, camping seasons were extended for economic viability, and the camps soon opened their doors to all youths, regardless of 4-H membership.
In 1949, Henry Krebser, a UConn 4-H agent, learned that a boys’ camp in Warren, Connecticut was for sale. The camp consisted of 150 acres, including a 50-acre pond. A group formed the Litchfield County 4-H Foundation and purchased the camp for $30,000. They established a Board of Trustees to serve as custodian of donated funds and properties. The Litchfield County Farm Bureau advanced a loan of $5,000. They held the first camping season that same year with four to six weeks of camping held through the 1968 season. At that time, the camp property was sold to the Town of Warren, and the Foundation invested the proceeds from the sale to support the their UConn 4-H program.
Nancy Neumann-Glasgow, a camper during the 1960s, remembered that “For one week in the summer, away from school and family, telephone and radio, I discovered my inner peace. The unheated cabins with pitched roofs and open windows were crafted of rough wood. Four cots, each with sleeping bag became our bedrooms for a week. We [campers] met as strangers and departed as friends, for we shared moments that no one else would ever experience together in the same way. We realized life, health, and friendship. In those short six days and five nights, we learned together, swam together, created together, and kept each other’s secrets.”
One of the unique characteristics of the UConn 4-H camping program is that each camp is owned and operated by a board of directors of dedicated volunteers. These 4-H volunteers have a rich history of participating in National 4-H Camping Conferences and in the American Camping Association (ACA). Some alumni 4-H members even remember 4-H camp as the place they met their future life partner and as the site of weddings for 4-H camp alums.
UConn 4-H currently works with four other camps that do a variety of programming, each of these camps also have a rich history, with Hartford County 4-H Camp celebrating their 90th anniversary this year.
Visit the UConn 4-H website to learn more about the UConn 4-H camps.
