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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories App Finder: Top tax apps Ashland Calendar, Friday, March 20 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Should Ashland homeowners be able to rent rooms short-term? Beetles taking toll on Ashland pines Education Northwest Pizza to raise money for Ashland Schools Foundation Prisoners in their own home Louie's to donate sales to Helman Hug Fund Ashland High School Drama Club to host Showcase Night on Thursday Ashland Kiwanis recognizes Samara Diab Environment Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Legislature might be divided on clean fuels bill, but these Ashlanders weren't Business Breaking ground on organic vineyard practices Southern Oregon University: Recent and pending projects at SOU total about $132 million Test Drive: 2015 Subaru Outback Limited Silvio Calabi: 2015 Cherokee is a modern Jeep Ride & Drive: 2015 Hyundai Genesis Politics and elections Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US Mark L. Hopkins: Looking for a political straight shooter Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Nation - World Leonard Nimoy, famous as Mr. Spock on 'Star Trek,' dies Obituaries James Ellis York Death Notices Death Notices Shiela R. Ettlich Karen June Shaw Shareable Bank of America is predicting a massive Tesla collapse Sports Latest Stories Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Weber, Smith earn All-American honors Oregon's Altman used to rebuilding, reloading Wade scores 32, Heat rally to beat Blazers AHS grad Bailey claims national wrestling title High school Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Fredrickson leads Grizzlies to season-opening romp Grizz alpine skiers finish strong at state Ashland High's Honsinger tops field in final nordic ski meet Southern Oregon University Weber, Smith earn All-American honors Oregon's Altman used to rebuilding, reloading AHS grad Bailey claims national wrestling title Thompson, Weber to play in all-star game Beavers get No. 3 seed, host NCAA games Voices Latest Stories Letters to the Editor, March 20 Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Jeffrey Gillespie: The return of the neocons Bert Etling: A homegrown news diet Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Editorial Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Our view: Keep it simple in developing marijuana rules Our View: Ashland is at risk as a bad fire season looms Letters Letters to the Editor, March 20 Letters to the Editor, March 19 Letters to the Editor, March 18 Letters to the Editor, March 17 Letters to the Editor, March 14 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Guest Opinion: Ashland schools failed to protect my son from bullying Guest Opinion: There is nothing uniform about the Uniform Crime Report Columns Jeffrey Gillespie: The return of the neocons Bert Etling: A homegrown news diet Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Council Corner: City considers the sharing economy Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center Best bets for entertainment around Ashland, March 19 Andrew Lloyd Webber's lush musical 'Sunset Boulevard' opens at Camelot Theatre in Talent Community blog: Herzog scholarship for young writers Movie listings: March 13-18 Theater Ticket Availability Ticket Availability Andrew Lloyd Webber's lush musical 'Sunset Boulevard' opens at Camelot Theatre in Talent Oregon Shakespeare Festival designer for a half-century says he's still learning Ashland High School Drama Club to host Showcase Night on Thursday Music Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center The Farr Side: Madonna — ever the trendsetter Nitty Gritty Dirt Band co-founder John McEuen performs at the Unitarian Fellowship in Ashland Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: ‘The Gunman’ misses the target Movie listings: March 20-26 More wonderful wrinkles at 'The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' 8 must-see spring films Movie review: ‘Wrecking Crew’ is a look at the people who really put the bomp Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Looking Up: Looking for the zodiacal light Health Watch: 5 tips for seasonal allergy relief A better bedtime Studying stress Eat this, not that Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class ... Jeffrey Gillespie: The return of the neocons ... Ashland Calendar, Friday, March 20 ... Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class ... Jeffrey Gillespie: The return of the neocons ... Ashland Calendar, Friday, March 20 ... LIVESTOCK LAWS Urban goats take to Ashland's yards and sidewalks Homeless man says city rules help him create his own food security Comment By Sam Wheeler for the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Sam Wheeler for the Tidings Posted Nov. 26, 2014 at 3:18 PM By Sam Wheeler for the Tidings Posted Nov. 26, 2014 at 3:18 PM » Social News Maybe you’ve seen him wandering around town or camped out on a sidewalk with his three goats and a dog on leashes. While it may raise a few eyebrows, it boils down to food security for Aaron Fletcher and his tribe of goats. The goats get food from accommodating area homeowners, Fletcher gets food from the goats and, he says, they all set an example for the community. Fletcher, a 32-year-old homeless man who lives in Ashland, says he and his goats “promote and show other people the new urban livestock laws that allow them to have such food security." When the Ashland City Council loosened laws surrounding urban farming in September 2013, Fletcher started saving money to buy a pair of miniature goats, which are allowed under the city’s new “Keeping of Animals” laws. Fletcher says he has handed out more than 1,000 flyers promoting Ashland’s newfound farming freedoms, but he feels like people aren’t catching on. In addition to the flyers, Fletcher says, he posted ads online asking people to temporarily trade their yard space for free milk — he’s had just four responses in a year. “Ashlanders have a very, very awesome opportunity with this,” he says. “Come on people!” In addition to miniature goats, Ashland’s micro-livestock laws allow for chickens, domestic fowl, turkeys and rabbits, but Fletcher insists miniature goats are the most sustainable choice. He milks his 3-year-old part-Nigerian dwarf goat Selena twice a day and gets a half-gallon of milk. He ferments it with kefir grains before eating it, and strains small portions to make cheese. “Kefir is my favorite food, thank god,” he says. “It’s the world’s greatest superfood.” It provides all the food he and his yellow Labrador retriever, Sam, need in a day, Fletcher says, while Sam laps at a spatter of creamy white kefir spilled in strip of grass across the street from the Ashland Food Co-op. Fletcher has permission from the homeowner there to tie his goats up and let them munch on the weeds and grass. As Sam lies down, Fletcher’s youngest goat, a 4-month old part-Nigerian dwarf goat named Doe Re Mi, gently and playfully tramples the dog. Fletcher’s third goat, a 6-month-old part-Nigerian dwarf named Ruca, isn’t quite ready to begin producing milk, he says. Since the new urban farming laws were passed, Fletcher has been through about 10 goats, he says. “It’s really difficult to find goats that will work in someone's living situation like mine is,” he says. “If they have certain characteristics that are difficult for me to live with in a homeless situation, I unfortunately have to give them away.” Fletcher received a citation last summer for a reason he says the Ashland police officer didn’t explain. Ashland Police Department Deputy Chief Corey Falls says Fletcher was issued a citation for having just one goat. A portion of the Keeping of Animals laws states “solitary miniature goats are not permitted.” “To have the type of goat you have to have two, you can’t have them individually,” Falls says. “Now he has a herd.” There is no mention in the Keeping of Animals laws that a home is required to own an animal inside the city limits, and there is nothing that bans the animals from city streets or sidewalks, so Fletcher is within his bounds. And Fletcher and his tribe don’t seem to be causing much trouble anyway, Falls said. The city’s Keeping of Animals laws can be viewed on the city website www.ashland.or.us. Reach freelance writer Sam Wheeler at [email protected].   By Sam Wheeler for the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Sam Wheeler for the Tidings Posted Nov. 26, 2014 at 3:18 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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