Forget chickens.  Urban homesteading pioneer Allison Adams, who played a key role introducing Decatur to the world of backyard poultry, is taking it to the next level.

From her blog The Southern Urban Homestead…

Meet Nellie Oleson, my first baby bison.

Nellie arrived on a methane-powered livestock truck from a ranch in Montana. She is a domesticated breed of the American bison, meaning that genetically she has some cow in her. This makes her (and the additional head I will acquire as I gradually grow my herd) easier to manage as livestock — hopefully she won’t knock down the rain barrels, for example, or trample my dog in a stampede.

…I believe that the bison’s presence in our city signifies a restoration of this land’s once-great biodiversity, not to mention the virtues of homesteading at its most Ma Ingalls authentic. But don’t get too attached. My plan is to raise Nellie to become a protein source, and I’m really looking forward to a nice, thick rug for my own hearthside. In the meantime, the manure is working wonders for my early spring crops.

Allison says that the city has thus far been very helpful and will soon change its municipal code to “accommodate this most American of efforts.”  I can’t wait for that city commission meeting!

I don’t know about you, but I loved “The Little House” when I was younger.  Guess that means I still love it!

Local musician Caroline Herring writes in…

I have written a children’s musical based on the book The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton, and will be performing it Saturday at 1pm at Eddie’s Attic. Charles Williams and his trio will be playing with me, and Sylvia Cross of Sycamore Place Art Gallery will narrate. Allison Adams is the art director. Flora Rosefsky, an Atlanta artist, did the artwork for the poster and the show which I have attached. The show is called ‘Shelter’.

I’ll also be letting the adults hear some of it at my show on Friday night, also at Eddie’s Attic (8pm).

I’d be grateful for a good word.

Campaign Chair Allison Adams writes in to let us know that Patti Garrett’s District 2 campaign officially launches today at the city’s July 4th celebration on the Square.  She continues…

Patti and a crew of supporters will be in the parade, and our website and facebook presence are both up and running. And we’ll have some special announcements in a few days to share, so stay tuned!

Patti’s newly launched campaign website can be found here, while her campaign’s Facebook page is here.

The website includes a bio, and two mission statement-type pages entitled “Sensible Ideas” and “Grounded in Community”, along with a blurb of support from Oakhurst Community Garden co-founder Sally Wyle and a page on ways to support the campaign.