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To Johnson Family Farms.

Congratulations to Johnson Family Farms, which this week was named the 2022 Farm Family of the Year during the 17th annual Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Luncheon Tuesday. 

The award honors families from Minnesota and their contributions to agriculture and the community. 

According to Lisa Dierks, regional director for the University of Minnesota Extension center, the farm is a third-generation corn, soybean, turkey and hog farm northeast of Geneva.

Chad Johnson, who lives on the farm with his family, has held positions of secretary for the Freeborn County Farm Bureau board and treasurer on the Freeborn County Corn and Soybean Growers board.

Johnson also works to reduce the amount of artificial fertilizers to apply to his corn and soybean crop, and works to prevent fertilizer runoff and groundwater contamination. 

We congratulate the Johnson family for the award and thank them for all they do for the community. 

Agriculture is such a big part of our county’s economy, and it’s thanks to people like the Johnsons who are to thank for their hard work and dedication. 

To the kickoff of Albert Lea youth baseball.

The Albert Lea youth baseball season kicks off this weekend with tryouts for children ages 8 to 14. 

Tryouts are throughout the day Saturday at various times for each age group. 

We encourage parents who are looking for something to get their children involved in to consider having them join this sport. 

The sport teaches hard work, dedication and perseverance in addition to giving youth something to do to keep active. 

To the month that has passed since Russian military forces invaded Ukraine.

We, like many across the world, have been saddened to see the ongoing war taking place in Ukraine. 

As of this week, about 3.7 million refugees have fled the country, which the Associated Press is calling the fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II. About 6.5 million have been displaced, and at least 13 million are estimated to be stranded in affected areas or unable to leave, according to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi. 

Friday marked the war’s deadliest known attack on civilians thus far, when about 300 people were killed in a Russian airstrike on a Mariupol theater. Hundreds had been seeking shelter in the theater.

We encourage those who wish to somehow get involved in supporting displaced Ukrainians to choose legitimate organizations to do so. 

Unfortunately, it is going to be a long road ahead.