GROW Nebraska® Foundation and Buy Nebraska Blog

In 1970, Mike and Renee Holen embarked on their first big-time adventure together. And what an adventure it turned out to be for the high school sweethearts! They began raising five kids on their family farm near Loomis, Nebraska ! Richard Nixon was president, a gallon of gasoline cost $.36 and the minimum wage was $1.45 per hour. They knew that farming, much like golf, is a game of skill vs. opportunity, so the name and slogan were born: “Holen One Farms – it’s a long shot ” . Mike and Renee still have that sense of adventure, a twinkle in their eyes and the same deliciously wry wit! Nearly thirty years later, when their children had grown and their busy nest was empty, Mike and Renee decided to retire from farming and tackle another long shot- the food concession business! The clever pair spent the winter building their concession trailer, perfecting their menu, and polishing their golf game. In the spring of 1999, the next leg of their adventure began. Over the next ten years ...