Susan Beattie Knollenberg
Susan is a Palm Beach County native, former Elementary School teacher, Author of 7 children’s books Luke’s Storybook Adventures (www.LukesStory.com) presently in 122 school libraries, developer of the T.L.C. (Teaching Literacy & Compassion) Children’s Program, The Y.E.S. (Young Earth Stewards) Children’s Program, Black Dog Red Tie Productions LLC, Luke’s Clubhouse, and the YouTube channel called Susan Beattie Author-Luke’s Storybook Adventures. Susan has spent the past 10 years teaching compassion for animals in Palm Beach County Schools with her beloved dog Luke, the main character in all of her books.
A Note from Susan
“ I grew up with horses and farm animals at the stable where my family’s horses were boarded. Every weekend and some weekday afternoons I’d spend there riding and doing chores. I would ride my horse with friends to the beach from sunrise and getting back to the barn by sunset. It was an amazing childhood.” “After having my own children (pictures here) I wanted them to experience the same magical childhood. We bought a small farm and had a horse, pony, baby goats, rabbits, pot bellied pig, and chickens One chilly evening, I sat in an empty barn stall on fresh shavings with my young son. We looked up and saw a spider spinning her web in the moonlight. I told my son the story of Charlotte’s Web. Every day was magical.” “After spending 10 years visiting students in Palm Beach County Schools with Luke, I wanted a place where I could expand my program in one location. I am now offering a farm experience with educational segments for children in the community at the farm as well as for my own grandchildren.” Susan
Peter Knollenberg
Peter’s family owned the following 5 Knollenberg ranches called Half Circle V, EZ K, Flying L, 71, and the Rocking K founded in 1916 in Wyoming on the Wind River close to Yellowstone National Park. Out of respect and admiration of his family and of the American pioneering of land ownership, the Rocking K Farm is named after the
Knollenberg legacy. The Knollenberg Ranch story is eloquently written by Gertrude Knollenberg Peterson. In one chapter called School Days, Gertrude writes about her parent’s concerns of where to send her for school because school was so far away that she had to ride there on horseback. Her Daddy wrote to Peter’s Grandfather, “We have a school here on the ranch now. We fixed up our bunkhouse for a school, the teacher lives here with us.” Gertrude (having been educated at home) went on to earn her Master’s Degree in Education from Columbia University.
Peter moved his family to Oklahoma for business where his children grew up with horses and cattle. Gertrude
visited Peter there and gave him a copy of her book.
A Note from Peter
“When I reflect on Gertrude’s book, I can’t help but think the TV series called Yellowstone could have been based on Gertrude’s book about the Knollenberg family history spanning those periods of time. Gertrude’s story is the inspiration for Susan’s enrichment room where she’ll teach children. It’s not the size of our farm that matters, but rather the chance to share our Rocking K Farm with family, friends, and guests.”
