2022 Catholic Century Farm Awards

July 29, 2022

Award honors Catholic families in the diocese who have been farming the same land for at least a hundred years.

Since 2018, Catholic Charities along with Bishop Kettler of the Diocese of St. Cloud, has honored Catholic families in the diocese who have been farming the same land for at least a hundred years, with the Catholic Century Farm Awards. On August 14th, 2022 Catholic Charities and Bishop Kettler will once again present these awards at the Diocesan Rural Life Celebration. 


This year we will be recognizing six farm families who have cared for God’s creation in our Diocese. Honorees will be receiving a Catholic Century Farm Award certificate signed by Bishop Donald Kettler and Director of Social Concerns, Kateri Mancini, along with a special gift for their home in recognition of their outstanding legacy in faith-based family farming within our diocese.


The Catholic Century Farm Awards are a way that Catholic Charities and the Bishop of St. Cloud honors those Catholic families who have farmed and nurtured the same land for 100 years or more. Different from the state or county-based century farm registries, the Catholic Century Farm Awards are an opportunity for our whole diocese to recognize the deep connection between our faith and farming traditions, and reflect on our many neighbors who are living out the Catholic social teaching of care for creation through their vocation of farming and stewardship of the earth. It allows us to share our gratitude for the nourishment they provide to our communities in more ways than one through their faith in God and the work of their hands.


The six families we will be honoring this year come from multiple regions of our diocese. All six honorees come from different parish communities across five different counties. Our longest standing farm is celebrating 150 years this summer! The “youngest” farm honoree is celebrating 107 years farming in our Diocese. All our recipients have a strong focus on the importance of family and the legacies created through farming.


This year’s Catholic Century Farm Award recipients include:


  • Bauer Family Farm, established 1915
  • Czech Family Farm, established 1899
  • Ebnet Family Farm, established 1906
  • Kern Farm, established 1914
  • Michael Farm, established 1910
  • Rausch Family Farm, established 1872*

* Indicates a sesquicentennial farm.


What 2021 Catholic Century Farm Award Recipients Said About Their Farms


When farm families apply for the Catholic Century Farm Awards, they are asked to tell us a little bit about why the farm and farming is important to them. Here are some of this year’s recipients’ comments:


Bauer Family Farm. The farm is a great place to raise a family. Everyone helps with all of the work to be done.


Czech Family Farm. Being born and raised on a family farm has given me such incredible roots. Raising my family on this farm has been incredible. We love the whole part of it, the animals, crops, garden, yard, outside is where we’ll be! We are so proud to be here, caring and loving this farm. 


Ebnet Family Farm. Our family takes great pride in our farm, and we consider this farm our home. Since this farm had the first contour strips in Stearns County, we take great care in maintaining it. Our three children grew up helping with every aspect of the farm and all have a fantastic work ethic because of it. We are lucky to have raised them here.


Kern Farm. This farm is where our family has worked, played, hunted, and celebrated many events over the years. Not having this land would leave a void in our lives.


Michael Farm. This farm is our home. It is where we raised six children and milked cows before later switching to beef cattle. We couldn’t do the work without our children.


Rausch Family Farm. We take pride in the hard work that so many generations have put into the farm. We love that we can count on family and extended family to continue to come back and support the Rausch Family Farm. Working together and supporting each other keeps us close.


If you or someone you know has a Catholic Century Farm, or will be celebrating your family farm’s 100th year in 2023, visit the social concerns website to learn more and apply for this special honor. Applications submitted between now and June of 2023 will be honored at a special Mass with Bishop in August of 2023.

Our Recent News

Meet Nicole from Emergency Services

By Brittany Hoversten • March 5, 2026
If you ask anyone at Emergency Services, they’ll tell you the same thing: Nikki is unstoppable. Every single day, she goes above and beyond for Catholic Charities, our clients, and her team. Nikki is a proud mom of two, and her youngest recently moved out on their own. Life hasn’t always been easy—she lost her children’s father suddenly in 2006, a time she describes as chaotic and life-changing. Today, she’s in a happy relationship and loves spending time at the cabin, traveling, riding motorcycle, and making the yearly trip to Sturgis. Catholic Charities “found” Nikki in a very full-circle way. At the time, she was helping her dad with his job as a grocery vendor—the same stores that donate to Catholic Charities. difference for the community every day. At the end of each night, she lays her head down knowing she helped someone—and that’s what keeps her going. When her dad broke his elbow, Nikki stepped in to help him. Her strong work ethic caught the attention of a Catholic Charities program manager who had grown up with her dad. He saw something special in her and offered her a position. Her first assignment? Driving the Catholic Charities food truck—even though she had never driven a truck before. She remembers being terrified backing down the ramps, but her supervisor simply told her, “Keep it between the yellow lines.” She did—and that moment sparked the confidence that has fueled her ever since. Over the past 13 years, Nikki has worked in nearly every corner of Emergency Services. Nikki originally got pulled into Mardi Gras because her mom is crafty, and she’s been involved ever since. She especially loves the decorating and seeing everything come together. Last year’s event was particularly wild with so many new people, but Nikki’s natural leadership helped bring everyone together to create a fantastic experience. When asked what motivates her, Nikki doesn’t hesitate: positive thinking. “Negative thoughts will never give you a positive life,” she says. She believes positivity is contagious, and her mantra is simple: Do the best you can with what you have, take it one day at a time, and always pay it forward.

Mary’s Journey to Financial Stability

By Brittany Hoversten • January 15, 2026
When Mary reached out to FHC, she was overwhelmed and worried about losing her home. A devoted wife and mother with a strong career, she never expected that sudden health issues would reduce her income and cause her to fall behind on her mortgage. Missing several payments left her feeling vulnerable and unsure of where to turn. Once her health improved and she returned to full-time work, Mary was determined to regain control of her finances. She partnered with a housing counselor who helped her take a clear look at her household budget, identify areas to reduce expenses, and create a realistic plan to address her debt. During the process, Mary shared heartfelt gratitude with her counselor: “I can’t thank you enough for being my voice when I couldn’t advocate for myself and not judging me for my mishaps. I’m thankful Catholic Charities is part of our community and is a blessing for many.” With renewed confidence, Mary contacted her mortgage company to explore available workout options. Because her illness qualified as a hardship, she was eligible for a partial claim. This option allowed her to resume regular mortgage payments while moving the past-due balance to the end of her loan—giving her the breathing room she needed. Today, Mary feels empowered and more intentional about managing her household finances. She has also brought her husband into the budgeting process, realizing she doesn’t have to shoulder everything alone. This experience has strengthened her confidence and set her family on a path toward long-term financial stability.

Where Are They Now: Nick’s Journey from Survivor to Leader

By Brittany Hoversten • December 30, 2025
Nick’s story isn’t easy to tell - but it’s powerful. He grew up in a world that didn’t give him much. Abuse, neglect, and instability were part of his everyday life. As a kid, Nick felt like he didn’t measure up. He didn’t have what other kids had, and he learned to lie - not to hurt anyone, but to protect himself. It was a survival skill that followed him into adulthood, where it stopped serving him and started hurting him. Drugs, broken relationships, court dates, Nick was stuck in a cycle that felt impossible to escape. But three years ago, something shifted. Nick entered treatment, and this time, he was ready. It wasn’t just about getting clean it was about rebuilding. And for the first time, people started believing in him. That belief made all the difference. Slowly, Nick began to see what others saw in him: potential, strength, and a future worth fighting for. Through the Catholic Charities Men’s Domestic Violence Program, Nick found something he’d never really had before. Real friendship, trust, and support. A supervisor gave him rides to work and treated him with respect. His housemates at the halfway house had his back. The men’s group became a safe space where Nick could grow. He joined a church. He started going to AA six times a week. He was building momentum, and he didn’t want to lose it. When Nick finished the program, he didn’t walk away. He asked himself, “What now?” and decided to keep showing up. Not because he had to, but because he wanted to. He knew he could help others. He understood the fear, the ego, the resistance to change, but because he’d lived it. And now, he was ready to help others break through those walls. Today, Nick leads the very group that helped change his life. He’s been promoted at work. He’s dreaming big and thinking about school, about becoming a counselor, about going all the way to the top. And we believe he will. Because Nick is the kind of person who lifts others up, who shows up even when it’s hard, and who never stops trying to be better. At Catholic Charities, we see how incredible Nick is. We’re proud to have him on our team—and we’re cheering him on every step of the way. The sky’s the limit, Nick. Keep doing amazing things!