Our History
FIRST GENERATION
John Adams Hoen was born in 1849 and raised on a farm in Feisburg Germany. At the age of 33, he immigrated to the United States. John settled in Maumee, Ohio and ran a saloon. After six years in the saloon business, John married Barbara Zihr from Staffalbach, Germany. A few years later he sold the saloon and bought 40 acres of farm ground in Holland, Ohio at an auction for $1800. At the corner of the farm, John operated a gas station along with a fruit stand. |
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SECOND & THIRD GENERATION
In 1926 John retired and one of his sons Frank, along with his wife Josephine ran the farm. Frank and Josephine had three sons and a daughter: Francis (Fritz), William (Bill), Leonard (Lee), and Leola.
In 1951 Bill and Lee bought 100 acres of farm ground in Holland. A new barn was built. The original farm John Hoen bought was split 4 ways by the turnpike and I-475 and was sold to development
Bill married Maragret and had 4 children: Ellen, Michael (Mike), Carol, and David. In 1956, Bill started building a house on the farm and the family moved in after the completion in 1961.
Over the years the business grew. Bill and Lee continued to run the farm. More buildings were built along with greenhouses to raise plants. The produce raised was sold wholesale in Toledo and from a wagon on Airport Highway. When Airport Hwy was widened to four lanes, we began to sell produce at the barn and house. We were called Hoen’s Greenhouse and Farm at that time. |
FOURTH GENERATION
Upon gratuation for college in 1971, Mike became a full time partner in the business. In 1976 a market was built to sell produce and the name changed to Hoen’s Produce. At this time we were raising bedding plants, vegetables, and fruit.
Bill died in 1981 from heart problems. The 100 acre farm in Holland bought in 1951 was split into two businesses. Lee, along with his sons formed Hoen’s Greenhouse, Inc and ran the plant business. Mike continued raising fruit and vegetables, running the farm market called Hoen’s Orchard and Farm.
Before his death, Bill Hoen purhcased a 78.5 acre farm north of Delta, Ohio. Produce was raised at both the farms in Holland and Delta. In 1992, Mike built a house at the Delta farm. The market and farmland in Holland was sold in 2001 and the buisness relocated to the Delta farm. In 2004 a salesroom was built. Currently, Hoen's Orchard is owned and operated by Mike Hoen.
Mike is married to Antonette (Toni) and they have four chilrden: Becky, Emily, Will, and Melissa. Their children are grown and have careers outside of the farm. After many strenuous and prosperous seasons of growing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, Mike decided to cut back his work load in 2020. He is planning to retire in the near future.
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2002 Aerial View |
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2012 Aerial View |
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