A Hocking Hills native, author, plant lover, and animal rescuer is proof that you can combine all of your passions into the life you want. While her biggest passion is plants, this woman has more than a green thumb.
She’s as cool as a cucumber, and she grows them too! She mixes farm life, art, plants, animals, and holistic living to bring them all together in one space. She has a rich, compassionate, and colorful personality. A multi-talented artist, author, animal rescuer, wife, and Mom to tons of plants, animals, and two children. This is Jennifer Kempton.
A Heart for Helping
Compassion meets transferable skills.
Jennifer’s longest job was as a patient care tech at a hospital, an occupation in which she assisted patients with many of their needs, such as bathing, dressing, mobility, and helping monitor their health by checking vital signs and reporting changes to nurses. The lady with the green thumb always found herself attached to the people she cared for.
Needless to say, those skills were transferable to roles as an animal rescuer, educator, and homeschooling mom. After marriage, she and her husband moved to a 40-acre farm. Jennifer jokes that her husband, back then, had no idea what he was getting into. He wanted the house with the acres, and she only wanted animals —at the time, the two owned only two dogs.
Shortly after moving onto the 40 acres, she began homeschooling and, slowly and naturally, began bringing in animals; then an animal rescue and farm emerged. Caring for animals was just as important as the care she provided as a PCT.
While on the road to helping educate her kids for homeschooling, she took many moments as learning opportunities. One memory stands out: when her son decided he wanted a snake, a reptile Jennifer never thought she would like. So, before saying “yes” to her son, she decided the best course of action was to do worldwide research about snakes. It was a fun learning experience, especially since she knows most “animal fears” stem from people’s lack of education. The knowledge knocked out her fear of snakes, and her son happily brought home a snake.
In the House and on the Farm
Animals indoors and outdoors
Inside her home live a range of animals, from hedgehogs and hamsters to hermit crabs, five dogs, a house gecko, a blue-tongued skink, and a tiny house gecko that’s smaller than a pencil’s width. Along with a rare Uromastic lizard, native to Ethiopia, which has a careful diet: it doesn’t drink water because it gets its water intake from vegetables, and if it’s seen drinking water, it’s sick.
Jennifer’s 40-acre farm, shared with her husband and children, is located in the Hocking Hills. It’s been an animal sanctuary for over 10 years, but it’s not just a rescue— it’s a forever home for furry and feathery friends, and the place where her kids get to learn lifelong skills, compassion, and sometimes turn tractors into riding toys. This is where chickens, rabbits, hair sheep, funny donkeys, goats, barn cats, and turkeys live.
In a recent adventure, she shares with her daughter the breeding of hedgehogs. Her daughter loves animals and has been wanting a job, so the two decided to try breeding hedgehogs. Another perfect blend of teaching and learning for the mother-daughter duo.
A heart for those no one wants
Jennifer’s love runs deep for animals that no one wants and those who are different. One of her most memorable experiences was bringing home three little turtles, one of which had only three legs. This three-legged turtle, named Sam, a South African box turtle, remained a favorite reptilian friend.
Another kind creature was a chinchilla, Jennifer took in. Known to be a herd animal that usually doesn’t cohabit well with others. Jennifer paired a fluffy fur-ever friend for the chinchilla, and the two animals comfort each other and will cry when separated.
Animals that Left a Mark
One of the most memorable animal rescues was a black Croatian sheep dog, named Marley, who was rescued from the home of a drug addict whose home was about to be raided, and the children and pets were about to be removed. This happened while Jennifer was working in the ER as a PCT, where she had worked for 16 years, when she received the call. In no time, Marley made his way into the arms of Jennifer and her family. The dog made a trip all the way up from Florida to live with Jennifer. A pet they never thought was trained, but later learned the dog had a slew of commands and would share them over time with his new family.
A potbellied pig too big to walk
Rosie Pig was so obese that the poor girl could hardly walk; her hooves had grown out and curled, and she would scoot on her front legs. It was the only rescue where the police had to be involved for Jenn’s safety.. She had been abandoned on the back porch of a home in Circleville, Ohio.
She had to be shuffled onto a tarp and assisted into a crate with five adults. The pig was angry and wouldn’t eat or drink anything at first, and she had been living on bags of dog food, eating it along with the other dogs at her previous home. It took over a year for Rosie Pig to trust Jennifer and her family. After a year of adjustment, Rosie became healthy, had free rein of the yard with all of the dogs, and slept in a cozy barn bed. Rosie Pig lived a happy life until she was about 10 years old before she passed.
Animal Education and Creativity
Jennifer’s children are homeschooled, and she’s always found creative ways to bring animals into their education. Homeschooling and rescuing animals all happened at the same time. Jennifer would write lesson plans for her kids and incorporate education around the animals she’s rescued. It was never planned, but it all fell into place naturally.
Jennifer remembers days spent working on projects in which families from the homeschool community worked on countries all over the world. She would help her kids choose a country based on their animals. Jennifer and her children would research all they could to match their animal rescues to a particular country.
The compassion and creativity continue because the animal rescuer had always wanted to write a book her entire life. She also had a talented friend, Rachel, who also always wanted to publish a coloring book. The two teamed up to create Jennifer’s first coloring book.
It worked well because Rachel, her illustrator, was well-versed in all the animals on Jennifer’s farm. Rachel was able to create pictures to accompany them. All of the animals in the books are ones that Jennifer has cared for in the past and present.
Jennifer’s first coloring book, Shelled Ones & Friends, was named after her animal rescue. It offers fun facts about animals Jennifer has raised in the past and present. Some of her coloring books are Welcome to Our Coop, a Mother-Daughter Art Journal with her daughter Pressley, a Feral Ladies Cat Coloring Book, and a Reading Journal to log all your fun reads. Then, a Turtlely Awesome Journaling is another journal where you can write down your adventures and goals.
Fun activities with animal friends
The animal lover travels to churches, dance parties, schools, libraries, and art camps to extend her knowledge. Jennifer will create fun activities with her animals while collaborating with her friend, who hosts the art camps. Themed days, such as a “reptile day’, or an “ocean day”. Jennifer would take hermit crabs and debunk any misconceptions about the tiny creatures, while sharing fun interactions.
Plant lover
A lifetime of love for plants led Jennifer to grow all sorts of vegetables, plants, herbs, flowers, and goodies to sell on a farm stand. The farm stand sells eggs, holistic products, bread, butter, pickles, and various plants. She enjoys integrating plants that both her family and her animal friends can eat.
She loves growing plants and herbs that both her family and animals can enjoy. Prickly pears have been a recent favorite because they’re also a favorite food of two of her favorite reptiles: the turtle and the tortoise. The plants are highly beneficial for their calcium, fiber, water content, as well as their low protein and fat content.
Holistic Health
Creating and selling holistic items
The lady with more than a green thumb also shares special crafts, offers books, and a variety of holistic products in the farmstand. She also creates salves, flavorings, ciders, sugar scrubs, naturally scented bags, and natural fire starter kits.
Blooming with Surprises
Photography, blind date books, and dog, plant, and farm sitting
Besides having a green thumb and authoring cool coloring books for kids, the Mom of two has also created unique sunshine packages shipped overseas for veterans, secret-sister cards, and helped with Wreaths Across America. She’s also created blind date books, which come with fun reading accessories.
Lifelong knowledge of caring for humans, plants, and animals continues to open doors. More opportunities have helped her continue to integrate her passions and serve others. The doors of those who trust Jennifer and hire her to help with dog sitting. plant sitting and, at times, has watched over farms. Again, more proof that you can make all of your skills, talents, and passions work well together.
Jennifer also often revisits her interest in photography, an art form she used to practice more regularly; now she does so for fun. Recently, the queen of compassion placed first and second place at the Hocking County Fair for her flower and kitty photographs. The images are just as colorful as she is.
Jennifer’s proof that you can combine all of your passions into the life you want. Having more than a green thumb is just a way to say, you can be good at a lot of different things, and they can all live together happily ever after.
To learn more about coloring books, holistic health products, or plants, or to get in touch about educating your group, email shelledonesandfriends@gmail.com or call 740-475-9123. For fun and inspiration, follow Jennifer Kempton on TikTok at Jen’s Little RidgeHouse
Cheers to inspiration🥂
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Written by Darian Rowles, Founder of Women Who Inspire, Health + Pilates Coach, Author of Uncork Your Life, and Motivational Speaker, curating confidence one conversation at a time.