top of page

Camp Directors

Casey Berant
Leslie Webster
Heidi Wing
Sallie Walker
Nate Perkins
Lauren Donaldson
Kristi Brady
Andrew Whetstone
Sam Velick

Casey grew up attending the farm as a child and then started working as a counselor. She was a counselor for a year before becoming a director. Her love and responsibilities have grown throughout the years on the farm. Now she manages many different aspects of day-to-day duties on the farm whether it’s tending to animals, helping campers, planning activities, or coordinating events happening on the farm. Many times, you can find Casey creating new tie-dye designs, making new colored dyes, and helping campers create a new colorful tie-dye experience during their camp adventures. Casey lives on the farm with her husband Eli and their three sons Rhys, Kye, and Owen.

Casey Berant

Camp Director

Sam Velick

Camp Director

Sam has attended camp since the age of 5. She took summers off here and there, but camp was always her home away from home. Sam was a counselor for several years on and off before staying full-time as a director at the farm. Her love is drawn to the atmosphere surrounding the farm and the connection she has with the animals and campers that attend throughout the summer. She has an artistic gift that she shares in her craft activities with the campers. She encourages the campers to make their own artistic decisions when creating a craft. Sam can also be found lifeguarding our waterfront, tending to animals and campers, and coordinating events on the farm. Outside of her farm family, Sam and her spouse Jake have two children together, Jon and Margot.

Andrew is our fabulous farmer! He grew up working as a counselor and fell in love with all things fur and feathers. He manages all animal responsibilities and is referred to as “Farmer Andy”. Any of your animal needs he has an answer for you. During camp, Andy can be found leading animal chores and teaching campers about the animals on the farm. He cares for all the animals and keeps the animals and barns looking fresh, clean, happy, and healthy. Andrew also has a large family with multiple brothers and sisters and animals. He loves his fur and feathered friends but also cares for a tortoise he has at home. Andrew and his husband, Eli, will never go a day without their furry friends. 

Andrew Whetstone

Director of Animal Affairs

Nate Perkins

Camp Director

Nate is Mr. Enthusiasm. Nate generates excitement at camp. You will often hear him playing his guitar and leading songs in assembly. Nate can also be found around the farm or in the shop fixing anything broken or updating things around the farm. He helps maintain our tractors, farm vehicles, and shop, while improving buildings and equipment. Nate is the son-in-law of Knight and Dorothy. He is married to Pam, the sister to Steve and Ken Webster. They have three sons together, Josh, Caleb, and Lucas. 

Kristi has been with Upland Hills Farm since 2018 along with her two daughters Jaiden and Keagan. She is your go to for camp registration, payments, schedule changes and correspondence. Kristi can often be found on the computer, answering calls and at the coffee station. 

Kristi Brady

Office Manager

Lauren Donaldson

Assistant Camp Director

Lauren has been attending camp from the age of 5 and continued at the farm as a counselor. This is her second year as an assistant director. She graduated college in 2022 from Rochester University with a Bachelor Degree in Psychology. Lauren is very athletic and loves sporting activities, and a few crafting activities from time to time. Lauren can be found all around the farm, and lifeguarding our waterfront. She tends to float from one thing to the next helping wherever is needed. Lauren also writes the blogs to highlight each week of camp.

Sallie is our nature center leader! She loves all things nature and furry animals. Before working at the farm she was a preschool teacher for 30 years. She helps educate our campers on bugs, plants, water life, and other creatures that stroll upon the farm. Educating children is one of her amazing passions! She can be found leading many different nature activities during camp. Some camp favorites are frog/turtle catching, swamping, nature hikes, berry picking, and flower picking. Sallie is always positive and loves helping children learn about the nature that helps our ecosystem grow! 

Sallie Walker

Nature Center Leader

Heidi Wing

Craft Leader

Heidi wears many hats at the farm but for the summer camp she is most often found leading crafts. Crafting is her go to for activities, and is usually found in our craft shop. Campers love when she helps teach them how to make slime, candles, soap and other science project crafts. When she isn't crafting, she is helping our farmer with the animals. Heidi has been with the farm for 7 years. Her daughter, Alida, is also a head counselor at the farm. 

Knight and Dorothy Webster established the Farm in 1960 and today their son Steve and his wife Leslie own and operate the Farm and are in the process of retiring. During the day camp Steve can be found singing songs in assembly and checking in on the campers throughout the day. Leslie can often be found doing the animal chores as well as animal related activities. 

The Webster Family

Owners

Head Counselors

Assistant Counselors

Counselors in Training

Horse Camp Counselors

Hi! My name is Nicole, I am a head horse camp director. At camp, there are 2 places you will find me, the horse barn or the pony ring. This is my fourth year at Upland Hills, and I absolutely adore being at camp and being able to share my passion for horses with others. In the fall I will be a senior at Michigan State. I am working on my bachelor’s in animal science hoping to go on to vet school to become a large animal vet. A fun fact about me is three years ago I won a beauty pageant for my hometown. My title is Miss Bay-Rama Queen, and my main duties as queen correlate with the fishfly festival in New Baltimore, Michigan. I look forward to another fun summer at camp full of horses and smiling campers!

My name is Ava and this is my 4th year working at UHF. I will be a sophomore at Michigan State in the fall studying animal science through Lyman Briggs College. At the farm I also take care of and work with the horses! I love being outside and spending time with friends, family and animals! I also enjoy traveling, listening to music, and swimming.

My name is Ashley, I am an assistant counselor and the assistant horse director for horse camp. I will be studying for a degree either in aerospace engineering or neuroscience in the year of 2025-2026. A fun fact would be that I won state champions in Winter Guard Scholastic Regional A. Another fun fact about myself is that I will be inheriting my family’s farm in Sterling and intending to make it back into the farm it once was.

bottom of page