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Mike’s and Renee’s Excellent Adventures at Holen One Farms

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 the two of them traveled a five state area setting up at county fairs, trade shows, rodeos and such, peddling their delicious food and golfing whenever they could! They spent a decade traveling throughout the Midwest sharing with their patrons what their family has always known:

“A good meal combined with a good story among good friends is truly the best adventure of all”.


So-o-o many customers begged for the secret behind their tender and juicy Steak-on-a-Stick and moist, delicious pork loin sandwiches, that it hatched an idea to sell their secret marinade! They soon added the BBQ Dipping & Glazing Sauce and the unique Java Rib & Roast Rub to their select line of Holen One Farms Products. The Holens took advantage of the excellent services offered by UNL’s National Food Entrepreneur Program to learn everything they needed to know about successfully bringing their recipes to the very competitive food marketplace. Entrepreneurs like Mike and Renee are quick to sniff out and utilize available resources and spend less time “reinventing the wheel”! The Holens have been proud members of GROW Nebraska since way back in 2006 and credit GROW with bringing lots of attention and exposure to their products.

Holen One Products make awesome Father’s Day gifts! Check out the special gift packaging that lets you knock out a gift for Dad (or grandpa!) in no time flat! You’ll find lots of ideas and recipes using their rub, marinade and sauce on their beautiful website www.holenonefarms.com. C’mon folks, it’s grillin’ time! Be sure and take a look!

Though no longer on the road with their concession business, Mike and Renee still live at Holen One Farms and continue to travel extensively promoting their BBQ products. Personally, I’m impressed and amazed that they still provide full line catering services for small and (very!) large events in the area. Entrepreneurs like the Holens work hard but know how to play hard, too! They love spending time with their ever-growing family which includes 17 grandchildren! (Possibly their best-ever return on investment!)

Even golfers can’t live on greens alone! Make your next barbecue the best ever with all three of Holen One Farm products! All of them are available in both GROW Nebraska stores, the Hilltop Mall in Kearney and the Conestoga Mall in Grand Island. If you’re stuck behind a slow bunch of hackers and can’t get into one of GROW’s stores, order it on the back nine, 24/7/365 from your smart phone at www.buynebraska.com!

About the Author: Betty Streff is the Coordinator of GROW Nebraska store in Kearney. You can read more about Betty here.

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