The Oaks Farm fosters community and fun
BY KADIE TAYLOR
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — The 110-acre Oaks Farm provides a space for local fun and community events and is filled with green pastures and pine trees.
“We acquired the Oaks back in 2020, we ended up purchasing it from Tammy and Glenn Morgan, who were still very close to us, and we actually see them as second parents,” said Co-Owner Heather “Jersey” Welton. “We have three ponds, two of which we really fish out of most of the time. And our big fields in the front that can be seen from Highway 50… It's more so just a place that everybody can come and hang out and not really a typical farm for agricultural purposes.”
Along with working with local organizations and families to host events and community gatherings, Weldon said the Oaks Farm also has a 12-station sporting clay course, open on Sundays from noon to dusk, and participants have 50 shots per round.
“It’s open between the months of March and late August,” she said. “We shut down during the hunting season. It is available to rent on a Saturday — if you want a private shoot, we host a couple of those throughout the year, and then we always do fundraiser shoots for schools. But we have churches that come in and do private shoots on Saturdays, and people rent it for birthday parties when they want a private shoot.”
Weldon said there are many ways to travel the course and that the Oaks Farm allows visitors to bring different modes of transportation.
“You pay when you show up, it's $30 per person, and of course, it's cash or card — but you just show up that day, and you pay,” she said. “You can take your own side-by-sides, trucks or four wheelers — however you want to get around the course. You're more than welcome to walk. I personally would not walk it, but I am not a walker. [The course] does go around our property, through the pines and through the woods, so we highly recommend taking your vehicle, side-by-side or your four-wheeler around.”
As the Oaks Farm has grown a community of clay course shooters, Weldon said she has grown to know and enjoy the company of the regular visitors — and the forming of a tight-knit group that feels like family.
“Most of the people who come out on Sundays, they've turned into family for us for the last couple of years,” she said. “We have a few friendly faces that we see every Sunday, and we know that they'll be there. They get upset when it rains, or it looks like it's going to rain, because we can't open that day. It’s nice, they'll come in, they'll shoot and then they'll go and do the rest of their day if they have to get ready for their work week. But it's always nice to hear. And when we shut down, they're like, ‘Oh, man, we'll see you next season.’”
With two young kids, Weldon said the property has become a space for her family to enjoy time outside together and a space to foster community camaraderie.
“We live out there in the house, but the property is always open for everybody,” she said. “We have people come and take pictures all the time at the farm. It's very family-oriented out there. We rent it out to whoever would like to rent it. But really, it's really for us — just having the property, having the space — we have two kids. We have a son who's one, and then Jeremy has a daughter who is nine. So having the farm to run around in is great.”
As she reflected on the community support for the Oaks Farm since she and her husband, Jeremy, took ownership, Weldon said she is thankful and enjoys finding ways to give back.
“We appreciate everybody in the community who supported us throughout these years,” she said. “We always want to do something special for them, give back when we can and help them. But we love the support.”
For more information, visit www.theoaksfarm.net.
