Our Story
This story begins at Shady Pines, a farm owned by Rowan & Daniel Kelty. The name is a product, not a guilty pleasure, of the two's devotion to their favorite T.V. show, The Golden Girls! It was when the married couple decided to purchased two pregnant alpacas for their farm, in Zanesville, Ohio that quickly turned a hobby into a fun filled business the two successfully operate. This purchase was influenced by multiple factors, the first being Rowan’s passion for spinning and knitting, which became an obvious newfound talent as he began to spin alpaca yarn by hand on a spinning wheel, even creating their own unique knitting pattern. The two didn't stop there as they began to learn how to hand dye their alpaca yarn, widening their options for their home market, located on the farm. That confidence and talent continued to grow as the two learned the art of hand dying silk scarves, making goat's milk skin care products, along with a list of other items that keeps growing. All these fabulous artisan items are available in their shop!
The Kelty's alpaca girls are now joined by not only their offspring, but Shady Pines is now proud to introduce three male alpacas, one of which is a breath-taking black stud alpaca named Ace.
If you are up for an adventure and a real treat, take the whole family and visit their live store located at the Shady Pines Farm!
Rowan Kelty
Owner & Fiber Artist at Shady Pines Alpacas
Rowan (they/them) grew up in New Jersey on a 30-acre hobby farm. Their family raised Longhorn cattle and Arabian horses. It was then that Rowan developed an interest in farming. After high school, Rowan moved to the “gayborhood” in Philadelphia and became an activist for LGBTQ rights.
Rowan moved to Ohio to study at Ohio State, joined the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus, and quickly joined the board of directors. It was while performing with the chorus that they met Daniel. The two adopted their three children and, once legal, got married.
In 2015, after major surgery, Rowan taught themself to knit and quickly discovered both a talent and passion for it. Years later, their family moved to Zanesville and rekindled an interest in farming. This was when Rowan started to learn about the benefits of Alpacas and alpaca fiber. They learned to spin and dye their own yarn and now sell it in their farm store.
Today Rowan creates original designs and patterns that pair with the alpaca yarn they sell. When not caring for animals and kids, Rowan enjoys swimming with Ohio Splash and playing the Trombone with the Columbus Pride Bands
About Rowan
Rowan (they/them) grew up in New Jersey on a 30-acre hobby farm. Their family raised Longhorn cattle and Arabian horses. It was then that Rowan developed an interest in farming. After high school, Rowan moved to the “gayborhood” in Philadelphia and became an activist for LGBTQ rights. Rowan moved to Ohio to study at Ohio State, joined the Columbus Gay Men’s Chorus, and quickly joined the board of directors. It was while performing with the chorus that they met Daniel. The two adopted their three children and, once legal, got married. In 2015, after major surgery, Rowan taught themself to knit and quickly discovered both a talent and passion for it. Years later, their family moved to Zanesville and rekindled an interest in farming. This was when Rowan started to learn about the benefits of Alpacas and alpaca fiber. They learned to spin and dye their own yarn and now sell it in their farm store. Today Rowan creates original designs and patterns that pair with the alpaca yarn they sell. When not caring for animals and kids, Rowan enjoys swimming with Ohio Splash and playing the Trombone with the Columbus Pride Bands
Daniel is an independently licensed psychotherapist. Although he is from Ohio originally, he has lived in San Francisco, Phoenix, and South America for much of his early adult life. He is fluent in Spanish, proficient in ASL, and speaks Russian. He holds a bachelor's degree in psychology, a master’s degree in social work, and a professional certification in Ecotherapy from UC Berkeley. He has also earned a professional certification in religious trauma from the Global Center for Religious Studies. Daniel attended the Defensive Language Institute in Monterey, California, where he served in the United States Navy and studied to be a Russian linguist. He is also a decorated Desert Storm veteran.
Daniel lives with his husband of 15 years and their 3 children. They adopted their two sons in 2010 and welcomed their brand-new baby girl in 2018! When he is not busy being a dad and a husband, he enjoys time outdoors with the animals he has raised and socialized to be a part of his practice at Wild Ohio Therapy Farm.
His passions span many topics, but the top of this list includes storytelling, thanatology, parenting education, and gay adoption. Daniel has a unique connection to nature and is eager to teach others about the healing connections they can find in the natural world.
About Daniel
Daniel (he/him) is an independently licensed psychotherapist. Although he is from Ohio originally, he has lived in San Francisco, Phoenix, and South America for much of his
Daniel Kelty
Independently Licensed Psychotherapist
Owner of Shady Pines Alpacas
