— Editor’s note: The letter below has been revised, by the author, from its earlier publication. The original was removed in large part because a particular passage called for actions that might be viewed as confrontational.

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Jenny Rice is a stellar member of our community.

She’s a local girl from a working-class family who runs a successful farm, pursuing her passions for horses, children, and the beauty of San Juan Island. Those of us who are fortunate enough to know Jenny experience her as kind, generous, hard-working, and communicative.

Jenny leased one acre of her property to her brother David Rice so that he could cultivate the now legal marijuana crop. Four greenhouses and a barn went up on the property.

The buildings were erected with careful adherence to all county and state requirements on land that has seen productive agricultural use since the 1970s. Marijuana offers an opportunity to make the farm more profitable and financially secure. This benefits all of us, not just the Rice family.

A successful farm leads to employment of local workers, increased local tax revenue, and the protection of scenic and productive agricultural land for future generations.

Unfortunately, Jenny’s neighbors appear to be uninterested in the greater good of our community. They are using punitive lawsuits to obstruct the operation of a legitimate business entity on San Juan Island.

The plaintiffs have already lost in the court of public opinion. However, they know that farmers do not have deep pockets to defend themselves in court, and so they have chosen to play the dirty way. Their lawsuits and threats have already led to the closure of Sungrown farms, the loss of sixteen year-round local jobs, and serious financial injury to the Rice family.

An exemplary citizen like Jenny Rice should not have to endure stressful lawsuits that threaten her livelihood and the very existence of her farm. I respectfully ask the Nolans and Sternitzkes to drop their lawsuits against Jenny Rice.

Moreover, I call on all islanders of conscience to be public in their advocacy. Please write your own letters. Please support Jenny Rice’s legal fund.

And if you are a local land-use attorney, please consider picking up her case pro bono.

Grisha Krivchenia/San Juan Island