David and Brandy Von Holten left behind their jobs to turn a Century Farm into a unique destination for trail riding, events and a whole lot more. Sharing the land Guests escape to the past at Von Holten Ranch by Jim McCarty | jmccarty@ruralmissouri.coop H e wanted to get back to the family farm established by his great-grandfather, Heinrich Von Holten, in 1906. She wanted to return to her country roots. That's what led David and Brandy Von Holten to leave their jobs, sell their home and move to a run-down farm near Mora in 2013. Few people would have shared the vision the couple had. At the time David managed a tool rental business. Brandy was a high school science teacher. They owned a house in Higginsville. It was a good life but something was missing. " When we were able to purchase the family farm we gave up everything and moved here, " Brandy recalls. It was a leap of faith. No one had lived on the farm in three decades. " We actually had to use a chainsaw to drive down the driveway and it was just the two paths where the tires went, " Brandy says. " There was no place to live. " " It was grown up tremendously and you know how the old-timers were, they didn't throw anything away, " David says. " So there was loads and loads of junk. " Adds Brandy, " The first thing we did was start taking off junk. We got enough money from scrap metal to buy a MAY 2021 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP May21_Sharing the land.indd 1 17 4/7/21 11:04 AMhttp://www.RURALMISSOURI.COOP