Farming for a Century: The Catholic Century Farm Awards

In 2018, Catholic Charities made the exciting announcement that they, along with Bishop Kettler of the Diocese of St. Cloud, would be honoring Catholic families in the diocese who had been farming the same land for at least a hundred years, with the Catholic Century Farm Awards.

Continuing this exciting acknowledgment, Catholic Charities and Bishop Kettler once again presented these awards at a special liturgy on August 1. The Catholic Century Farm Award Mass and celebration took place at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in New Munich, MN. There, twenty farm families received a certificate as a Catholic Century Farm Award family, signed by Bishop Donald Kettler and Kateri Mancini, director of Social Concerns, along with a special gift 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.

This year, twenty farm families, from sixteen different parish communities across five counties, received the award. The longest standing farm recognized this year has been farming for five generations, spanning across 165 years (farm established in 1856). The “youngest” farm honoree is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year .

This year's Catholic Century Farm Award recipients are:

• Bergquist Family Farm, established 1871*
• Borgerding Family Farm, established 1870*
• Boser Dairy Farm, established 1919
• Bruemmer Family Farm, established 1863*
• Donnay Family Farm, established 1921
• Douglas and Jane Popp Family Farm, established 1882
• Eltgroth Family Farm, established 1919
• Faber Family Farm, established 1866*
• Felling Century Farm, established 1856**
• Herman John Meier Farm, established 1858*
• Kroska Family Farm, established 1914
• Loesch Vossen Century Farm , established 1887
• Meyer Family Farm, established 1909
• Nathe Family Farm, established 1868*
• Primus Family Farm, established 1893
• Ritter Dairy, established 1879
• Schwintek Family Farm, established 1920
• Sobania Family Farm, established 1911
• Waldorf Family Farm, established 1884
• Zabinski Family Farm, established 1881

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

Berquist Family Farm - "I have lived on this farm all of my life. My grandfather Ernest built a new dairy barn in 1922-it is well kept and preserved."

Borgerding Family Farm - "Maintaining the farm and caring for the land gives me great satisfaction. I am so proud to have the younger generation of Borgerdings visit the farm that their German Catholic ancestors settled more than 150 years ago."

Boser Dairy Farm -"I watched my dad Rod, farm with my grandpa Joe as I was growing up and witnessed the success they had together in operating our family farm. I had the good fortune to farm with my dad for over 40 years also raising my 4 children on the farm. The farm has always been the center for our relatives as well."

Bruemmer Family Farm - "Farming is a heritage, family, and future. It’s wonderful place to raise a family, teach work ethics and be proud of your accomplishments."

Donnay Family Farm - "The farm has been a source of pride, hope, joy and family time working and laughing together."

Eltgroth Family Farm - "We love seeing how God brings forth new life every Spring from the plants and animals!"

Faber Family Farm - "Everyone says that I have such a nice looking place! We really love the basics of farming and raising the animals."

Felling Century Farm - "John came to America with a farming background. He lived and farmed here his entire life. It was and is the focal point of all his descendants."

Kroska Family Farm - "Our farm is where we take care of the land that God has given us. We love to see the earth worked, the crops grow, and the animals well taken care of."

Herman John Meier Farm - "Many, many people do not have roots. This farm has produced many families over the generations. We are happy to invite descendants of the founder, Herman John Meier to visit."

Meyer Family Farm - "There is pride in working the land that my ancestors have farmed. Raising my family here on the farm just like they did."

Nathe Family Farm - "Our farm has enabled multiple generations to work side by side to support our family and community."

D ouglas and Jane Popp Family Farm - "We are milking 40 Holstein cows with baby calves, bred heifers, steer horses, goats, sheep, and chickens-a little bit of everything. Farming is a way of life and it’s a great place to see your kids grow up, with the work ethic and God’s blessings. You have to trust in God for everything, from too much rain to no rain. From too cold to too hot and everything in between. The birds don’t know where their next meal is coming from! Trust!!

Primus Family Farm - "It is an honor to keep handing the family farm down from one generation to the next generation and keeping it in the family. The land means so much to us as we try to care for it and take care of it the best as we can. It is amazing to say that we can make a living off the farm that we can have my parents, children, and grandchildren all on the farm at the same time. My parents are now in their 90’s and still come out to the farm around twice a week."

Ritter Dairy - "Being able to care for animals and the land is a privilege and we are blessed to have been able to make a living and pass the farm along to the next generations over the years. Being outside and working with God’s creations is our favorite part of our job."

Schwientek Family Farm - "We have owned our farm since 1955. We are still on the farm and do crop farming and raising beef with the help of our 5 children."

Sobania Family Farm - "We love caring for the land and our animals and watching the crops grow throughout the season.

Loesch-Vossen Century Farm - "We are proud that the farm remains in the family. Caring for the land, seeing the beauty in nature. Working together to achieve goals and faith in God are values that have been passed down through the generations."

Waldorf Family Farm - "Our family was established in 1884 by my great-grandfather, John Waldorf. It has been an honor to be raised on the same farm as my grandfather and my dad. Four generations of Waldorf men have all planted and harvested their crops on the same farm land for over a 137 years. The original farm house still stands today. I admire the hard work and dedication that has been giving by my family over the years that have helped make the farm I own today, what it is. I have great pride in being able to carry on the family farm."

Zabinski Family Farm - "I am honored to have maintained a farm that has been in our family for so long. I share this lifetime accomplishment with my wife and 6 children."

If you or someone you know has a Catholic Century Farm, or will be celebrating your family farm’s 100th year in 2022, visit the Social Concerns websiteto learn more and apply for this special honor. Applications submitted between now and June 2022 will be honored at a special Mass with Bishop in August 2022.