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| News and Events from the farm: FIRST ARRIVAL FOR 2008WINTER. On Saturday 27th July, 2008 we took delivery of a very marginal Western Grey Kangaroo "Pinky" whose mum had been killed by a car in the Seaton/Ross Forest, approx 20kms south of Bridgetown. Thanks to some diligent family who checked the pouch and then spent 40 minutes waiting for Sheila to meet them in Bridgetown to take the joey off their hands, we still have "Cadel" a 425 gram pinky on arrival, who at least gave Sheila something to do whilst staying up and watching the finals of "The Tour de France". Now,5 days later, "Cadel" weighs 480grams and is developing whiskers around his mouth and is thinking about opeing his eyes. He continues to feed extremely well and is a very cool, albeit a very pink, dude. "TORTOISESHELL FARM" WINS NATIONAL SMALL BUSINESS EMS AWARD. TORTOISESHELL FARM ANNUAL GARDEN WORKSHOP: SUNDAY 19th OCTOBER, 2008 FOCUS: "Gardening for Wildlife" featuring Sabrina Hahn, Josh Bourne and Johnny Perfumo. Numbers will be limited to around 45 people this year. Accoustic music concerts and other events occur at Tortoiseshell Farm spasmodically throughout the year. If you would like to be placed on an invitation list, please email your interest. COMING UP.....BOOK NOW WEEKEND & MIDWEEK "DO IT YOURSELF WINE BOTTLING" GETAWAYS IN BEAUTIFUL BRIDGETOWN.
Few pleasures are more satisfying than pouring a glass of fine wine, admiring its clarity and colour, savouring its bouquet, raising it to your lips and knowing that you bottled it yourself. Such pleasures can be yours with little fuss and lots of fun. Enjoy the hospitatlity, fine food and RAC 4 Star Comfort of Tortoiseshell Farm and experience bottling your own wine at neighbouring Shedleys Winery. Chris Shedley will explain the process involved in producing wine, from growing the grapes to choosing a barrel that is ready to bottle. He will guide you in the practice of bottling and you can purchase the wine at a HEAVILY REDUCED PRICE. So find a group of friends, neighbours, family or work mates to enjoy a unique getaway package at Tortoiseshell Farm. Ideal for 6 couples.
| Sabrina Hahn Back At Tortoiseshellfarm In October | 30 Aug 2009 |
Eric McCrum to join Sabrina Hahn and Johnny Profumo at Tortoiseshell Farm this October. Most of us gain only a glimpse of Garden Guru Sabrina Hahn as she floats around our radio airways these days, but you can spend a whole day with her in Bridgetown with her boots firmly on the ground on October 18th for her 4th annual workshop at Tortoiseshell Farm, Sabrina and Frogdoctor, Johnny Profumo will be joined this year by very special guest, and renowned Naturalist, Eric McCrum.O.A.M Eric is the current CEO of the WA Gould League, a long term Education Officer at Perth Zoo, an expert on Astronomy, Birds, Plants, Lichens, Insects, Spiders, Mammals, Reptiles, Frogs, and Aboriginal Place Names in WA. And a host of specific ecosystems. And that’s just the beginning. A nature bushwalk with Eric will be a highlight of the day. The focus of this year’s workshop is “Not Just a Pretty Place: a holistic gardening approach to sustain all of the senses, the environment and your family. “ In other words, how to combine flowers, food and habitat into a fabulous garden. Come prepared for a long day, 9.30 to 4.30, much of which will be spent in the bush and garden. Numbers will be limited. Cost $80 per person inclusive of morning, afternoon tea and lunch. Bookings essential. Phone Sheila 97611089 or email tortoiseshell@activ8.net.au |
| Tortoiseshell Farm's First Orphans For 2008 Winter. | 30 Jul 2008 |
FIRST ARRIVAL FOR 2008 WINTER. On Saturday 27th July, 2008 we took delivery of a very marginal Western Grey Kangaroo "Pinky" whose mum had been killed by a car in the Seaton/Ross Forest, approx 20kms south of Bridgetown. Thanks to a diligent family who checked the pouch and then spent 40 minutes waiting for Sheila to meet them in Bridgetown to take the joey off their hands, we still have "Cadel" a 425 gram pinky on arrival, who at least gave Sheila something to do whilst staying up and watching the finals of "The Tour de France". Now, 5 days later, "Cadel" weighs 480grams and is developing whiskers around his mouth and is thinking about open ing his eyes. He continues to feed extremely well and is a very cool, albeit a very pink, dude. Although he is an"esky raised pinky" he is starting to develop dry on one foot. Mum's pouch is humid and contains natural oils and often orphan "pinky's" need artificial oiling. The humid conditions of the esky mimic the pouch, but sometimes we need also to oil the pinky to keep skin in good condition.I have started to do so today on this foot. Joeys hate oiling initially, and I always hold back to see if they are likely to survive, because in the early days it is all about quality of life, and if the are NOT going to live, why subject them to an invasive proceedure. For anyone interested, I have pretty much demand fed "Cadel" on Formular 1 who has vigorously fed from day one and has increased bodyweight significantly: now 480grams on day 5. He lost 12grams on the first day and then gained significantlyfrom then on.. I look forward to him reaching the magic 550gram weight which makes him much more viable, and then of course, if all goes well, at around 1kg the hair will start to grow.
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| "tortoiseshell Farm", Bridgetown Wins National Award | 25 May 2008 |
"Tortoiseshell Farm" Bridgetown wins National Award. Sheila Howat of "Tortoiseshell Farm" was presented with the inaugural Environmental Management Systems Association's EMS of the Year Award (Small Business Category) at a gala dinner in Newcastle, NSW and was invited to outline her EMS to an assembly of National and International delegates. Sheila and her husband, Sean, incorporate tourist accommodation, eco-tourism, biodiversity conservation and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation on their forest property at Bridgetown, Western Australia. The Association's President, Genevieve Carruthers, congratulated Sheila on "an innovative EMS that uses a "whole of business" approach, that by focusing on a variety of natural resource management issues, has implemented practices that not only reduce the impact on the local environment, but actually enhance it". Along with a trophy, was a cash prize of $2,200.00 and sponsorship to attend and address the 3 day National EMS Forum in Newcastle. Runner up in the Small Business Category was the Moreton Bay Seafood Industry Association, Queensland where 120 commercial fishing businesses have developed an joint industry EMS. Sheila says that her EMS is all about biodiversity conservation in managing her important jarrah/marri/banksia remnant bush and her eco-tourism business. It has also involved the creation of new habitat in the fencing and planting of major wildlife corridors which connect upland bush areas to downhill wetlands, the erection of artificial nesting boxes for both birds and mammals to supplement natural hollows, improvement of riperian areas, building of boardwalks in bush areas and feral proof specie-specific wildlife rehabilitation enclosures. She began developing her EMS in 2005 and was Certified with the Blackwood Basin Group's BestFarms programme this year. Sheila can be contacted at tortoiseshell@activ8.net.au |  |
| New Arrival At Tortoiseshell Farm | 25 Jun 2007 |
Wildlife carers in the south West have begun receiving this year's crop of orphaned kangaroo joeys. Some will be furred, others unfurred "pinky's" like this little Western Grey female delivered to Wildlife Carer Sheila Howat at Tortoiseshell Farm in Bridgetown recently. Travellers are urged to check the pouches of dead kangaroos and follow some simple first aid action until the joey can be passed onto a carer. Joeys can readily die of shock, so they need to be able to hide, be kept warm and quiet and away from children and pets. It is ideal to place them in a clean pillowslip and then wrap with a blanket or jacket. Young joeys cannot regulate their body temperature, so once you have them home, place the whole bundle into an esky (lid off of course) with a luke warm hot water bottle in the bottom. Kangaroos and all macropods are lactose intolerant, so please don't feed them any sort of milk. They need a special formular. It is better not to give them anying to drink. But if you cannot get help for a prolonged period, you can offer up to 20mls of luke warm boiled water, but not forced with a syringe or you risk shooting it into the lungs. The raising of a very young joey is a big commitment. Orphans like this little girl need to be fed every 4 hours day and night for several months and then 6 hourly for months more, and won't be ready for release for more than 12 months. For more information on kangaroo rearing, or to pass on a joey, contact Registered Wildlife Rehabilitators with the Department of the En vironment and Conservation. SHEILA HOWAT 97611089 at Tortoiseshell Farm, Bridgetown |  |
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