About | Smoke Crest Farm And

Our Mission

🌿 A Sanctuary for Healing: Where Animals and Humans Rise Together 🌿

Our animal sanctuary is more than a place of rescue—it is a space of mutual healing, where both animals and people are given the opportunity to restore, reconnect, and thrive.
Many of the animals who come to us have experienced neglect, abandonment, or hardship. Through compassionate care, patience, and love, they begin to heal.
In turn, they become powerful teachers—offering presence, trust, and unconditional acceptance to the humans who walk alongside them.
At the heart of our mission is the belief that healing is not one-sided. As the animals recover, so do the people who spend time with them.

✨ Our Wellness Approach

We integrate holistic wellness initiatives that nurture the mind, body, and spirit, creating a unique environment where transformation happens naturally and gently.

🐐 Animal-Assisted Healing

Mindful interaction with rescued animals
Grounding exercises that encourage presence and emotional regulation
Opportunities to build trust, empathy, and connection

🧘‍♀️ Holistic Wellness Practices

Yoga, meditation, and breathwork
Reiki and energy healing sessions
Sound baths and relaxation experiences

🌸 Emotional & Community Support

Group circles and guided reflection
Workshops focused on self-awareness, resilience, and personal growth
Safe, supportive spaces for individuals in recovery and beyond

🌿 Nature-Based Healing

Immersion in a peaceful farm setting

Our Story

In 2020, Jim Stelmokas and Kelly Knower from Kelly Knower Coaching had a conversation that would change everything. As they talked, they realized how much they had in common – and more importantly, what they could create together.

Jim owned the farm. Kelly owned her coaching practice. And together, they saw an opportunity to offer something the community desperately needed: a place to truly unplug and heal.

In 2021, Smoke Crest Farm was born – not just as a farm, but as a sanctuary. It's where wellness meets nature and animals.

In 2024, Co- Founder, Suzanne Harper joined the team and assisted with farm operations and was crucial in completing the application for a non- profit status. On February 24, 2026, Smoke Crest Farm Rescue and Animal Sanctuary officially became a non-profit organization – a milestone that reflects their mission from the start.

The Sanctuary is a safe space for anyone to come, unplug, and find solace. This means everyone- children, adolescents, adults, and older adults; Teachers and paraprofessionals carrying the weight of their work; Nurses and first responders who give everything to their communities; Mental healthcare providers who need care themselves; Women in recovery writing new chapters of their lives or anyone looking for a healing opportunity.

Since opening, they've offered over thirteen wellness retreats, most of them free to participants, allowing people to experience the property and animals without financial barriers. In addition to Reiki sessions using the horses, Reiki Shares, Barre classes with sound bath meditations, drumming circles, fundraisers for local community members, a day for Veterans and their families and team building day retreats for local businesses.

What makes Smoke Crest Farms unique isn't just the combination of offerings – it's the understanding that true wellness happens when you step away from the noise, connect with nature, and remember what it feels like to simply breathe.

Our Founders & Leadership

Jim Stelmokas

Co-Founder, Smoke Crest Farm Rescue & Sanctuary

My name is Jim Stelmokas, and I am the co-founder of Smoke Crest Farm Rescue & Sanctuary.

For more than 35 years, I have dedicated my life to working with large animals. I was raised on my family's dairy farm and later took over its operation, renaming it Smokeyfield Farm. During that time, I also became a foster parent to adolescent teenagers, an experience that strengthened my belief in the powerful connection between people and animals.

In 2014, I sold the dairy herd and began a new chapter. Two years later, I accepted a position as a Farm Manager, where I worked with individuals with autism and developmental disabilities, teaching practical life skills through hands-on experiences on a small farm.

While there, I introduced two donkeys as therapy animals. Watching the meaningful bonds that developed between the animals and the individuals in our care reinforced what I had long believed—that animals have a remarkable ability to comfort, teach, and inspire healing.

After several years of operating a small-scale rescue and hosting wellness retreats, Smoke Crest Farm Rescue & Sanctuary officially became a nonprofit organization in February 2026.

Today, our mission is simple yet profound: to create meaningful connections between people and animals in a peaceful, natural environment where both can heal, grow, and enrich one another's lives.

Kelly Knower

Events and Wellness Director, Smoke Crest Farm Rescue & Sanctuary

Kelly Knower, MSW, LICSW , CPT, CSW, CSMC is a Certified Wellness Coach, Certified Life Coach, Certified Stress Management Coach and Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who has worked in the human services field for over 20 years. Kelly has worked with many populations, age groups and individuals with diverse needs; including children, adolescents, aging adults, individuals diagnosed with chronic illness, suffering from mental health issues, developmental disabilities and addictions. Kelly has been a Certified Personal Trainer for 15+ years and Certified Group Fitness instructor for 20+ years. She maintains a certification in Pilates, Group Fight, Barre, Recovery Barre, the BeachBody Programs- Insanity, PIYO and 2B Mindset, and is a DoTERRA wellness advocate.

Kelly is a Level II Reiki practitioner and strongly believes in the power of self healing and energy flow, in order to improve overall wellness. Kelly has quickly learned the strong link between wellness and physical fitness, while including the mind, body and spirit connection. With her years of experience and education, Kelly has merged both professions in order to further assist individuals with their overall wellness, while improving life quality through improved wellness strategies. Kelly is the CEO and owner of Kelly Knower Wellness Coaching. Services which Kelly provides include Life Coaching, Stress Management, Relaxation Therapies, Reiki treatments, Chakra Balancing, Movement Therapy, Life Coaching, Book clubs, Wellness Retreats utilizing animal therapies, Health and Wellness Fair Collaboratives and DoTERRA essential oil therapies .

Animals have always been a constant in Kelly’s life, owning horses, dogs and cats, she has always understood the personal connection to animals along their healing potential. So, what began as a chance meeting soon became the foundation for something deeply meaningful. Jim didn’t just enter Kelly’s life; he became a steady partner in bringing her dream to life, helping transform open land into a sanctuary of healing, connection, and purpose.

The farm grew not just in size, but in spirit. Each rescue animal carried a story, each retreat welcomed individuals seeking rest, renewal, and rediscovery. Together, they created a space where people could slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect—with themselves, with nature, and with something greater.

And still, the dream continues to expand.

Because for Kelly, this was never just about a place—it was about creating a feeling. A reminder that even the smallest moments, like a night out listening to music, can quietly change the course of a life.

And sometimes, if you’re open to it, the universe delivers exactly what you’ve been waiting for.

As the Events and Wellness Director, Kelly organizes and coordinates the events hosted at the farm, including Wellness Retreats, Reiki Shares, while collaborating with local practitioners and community members.

Suzanne Harper

Farm Manager and Co-Founder of Smoke Crest Farm Rescue & Sanctuary

Suzanne Harper. Farm manager and co-founder of Smoke Crest Farm. As I sit here today, looking out the window, I can't help but think about how this journey began. My first visit to the farm was as an outsider, never imagining I'd be fortunate enough to one day call this place home. From that moment until now, the farm has always brought me a deep sense of peace. Growing up around farm animals, I felt a special connection to them. I used to think everyone felt that same joy and wonder that they brought into my life, but now I privileged to watch people discover that same connection and seeing how this beautiful place touches everyone who visits. Serving as farm manager and co-founder has challenged me, strengthened me, and rewarded me in ways I'm still discovering. My own experiences with mental health have given me even more appreciation for the healing power of nature, animals, and community. It is an honor to help build a place that offers peace, hope, and connection, and I look forward to seeing Smoke Crest Farm continue to grow and positively impact both people and animals for years to come.