Lambs, Lambs, Everywhere!

By Chris R.

It has been a busy few months at Possum Valley, with five lambs arriving in quick succession as the weather cooled.  

Bertie - Day one

Our first arrival was Bertie Lamb, who was transported to Perth from regional Narrogin.  At just a few days old he lost his mother and sustained serious eye injuries from crows. His eye is recovering well with treatment and being small and alone, he has quickly bonded with his teddy.

Bertie and his Teddy

Bertie at four weeks

Just a week after his arrival, Bertie's half-sister Rose was rescued from the same area. Rose and Bertie quickly became the best of friends. Rose is a little smaller than brother Bertie and very affectionate. She has delightful markings on her nose which we had vet check for fear of skin cancer, but she was given the all clear and can retain her characteristic beauty spots without concern. 

Bertie and Rose at ten weeks

The following month we were contacted about a small, sick lamb, also in Narrogin. He was passed onto a farmer and thanks to the quick thinking and dedication of two of our volunteers, a deal was struck to collect the precious cargo for urgent medical treatment in Perth.  

Ken on arrival

After a five hour round trip, the amazing staff at Murdoch Vet met Ken, giving lifesaving fluids and antibiotics. Named after one of his rescuers, a very weak and tired Ken Lamb finally arrived at the Sanctuary at midnight. Ken was suffering septic arthritis, causing swollen, painful joints. He was unable to stand and was breathing heavily. Thankfully, Ken's medication worked quickly and eased his suffering. Within 48 hours he was standing and beginning to baa. 

Ken at Murdoch Vet

Ken at six weeks old

We are still monitoring Ken with caution to ensure he stays well and continues to grow. Two weeks after his arrival he gave us cause for concern, refusing his bottle for a day, resulting in a rushed night trip to the vet and more medication. The following day Ken returned to the vet for fluids and glucose. He responded well and after a month has almost reached a weight of 10kg.

Timmy Lamb

Little Timmy Lamb is our latest arrival. Weighing in at a miniature 3.5 kg, Timmy is one of the tiniest lambs we have cared for. Timmy was seen running alone across the road one night in Merredin and was fortunate to be spotted and scooped into care. Timmy is an absolute delight, accompanying us to work to allow two hourly feeds until he gains more weight.  

Timmy at the office

We are enjoying spending time with the wool family in the house as winter settles over the Valley. More than forty bottles are washed each day and eight litres of milk made up to feed the growing family. We are so appreciative of those involved in each of their rescues, people who went to great effort to save these tiny lives. Without the help of our volunteers and supporters, such rescues would not be possible.

Recipe: Mushroom & Walnut Patties

Ingredients:

-1/3 cup of plain flour

-1/3 cup of almond meal

-1 cup of walnuts

-200g of mushrooms, diced

-2 brown onions, diced

-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

-1 tablespoon of vegan Worcestershire sauce

-1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

-Salt and pepper

Method:

-Lightly fry the mushrooms and onions in oil, then mix with all the other ingredients.  

-Blend this mix in a food processor until it is smooth. 

-Drop heaped tablespoons of the mix into a lightly oiled frying pan and cook until brown on each side.  

These patties are excellent in a roll as a burger or served with chips and salad.

Recipe: Meatless Balls with Fettucine

By Chris R.

 

 Ingredients

-2 brown onions, chopped

-2 carrots, chopped

-4 teaspoons of crushed garlic

-1 cup of red wine

-4 cups of vegetable stock

-4 tins of diced tomatoes

-2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

-2 packets of Gardein Meatless Meatballs, cooked
-500g of fettuccine 

Method

-Sauté the garlic, chopped onions and carrots in oil until soft.

-Add red wine and cook for a further five minutes.  

-Add cooked meatballs, tinned tomatoes and stock. 

-Bring to the boil, stirring occasionally.  

-Add 500g of fettuccine, cooking on low heat until pasta is al dente, stirring gently while cooking.

-Serve with a sprinkle of chopped fresh parsley and cashew cheese.

Serves six.

The Treehouse Brewery

Possum Valley Animal Sanctuary relies heavily upon the kindness and hard work of volunteers and local businesses for its success. One such company is Treehouse Brewery, whose staff have contributed not only many hours of volunteer assistance to the Sanctuary, but also provided their fine products at PVAS events. 

Run by Paul, Jay and Birko, Treehouse Brewery is a nano-brewery which was established in 2016 and produces a diverse range of craft beer in small 20 to 25 litre batches. Each batch is hand crafted from raw ingredients and the entire range is vegan. 

At the PVAS Wine and Cheese Night, Treehouse Brewery operated two mobile bars serving three craft beers and a cloudy cider. The beer range included a bohemian pilsner, a mid-strength India pale ale and cherry chocolate porter. The cloudy cider was made from 100% apple juice pressed from apples donated to Possum Valley Animal Sanctuary. 

 

We would like to take this opportunity to thank Paul, Jay and Birko for their constant support. Keep an eye out for Treehouse Brewery at upcoming PVAS events and try some of their fantastic beers. 

Support Us! Come to the PVAS High Tea Fundraiser

 
Date: 26th August 2017

Time: 2pm until 5pm

Location: The South Banquet Hall of the University Club, University of Western Australia, Nedlands:

Eight people to a table

Tickets $65.00

Dress up, bring your friends and come and enjoy an afternoon high tea with a mouthwatering cruelty-free menu. You will be served an array of savoury and sweet foods as well as unlimited freshly brewed coffee and a variety of teas. There will be a door prize, raffle and a silent auction. You will also get to hear about how we run Possum Valley and some of our animal rescue stories. 

High Tea Menu:  

 
To book, email: secretary.pvas@hotmail.com or visit https://www.trybooking.com/book/event?eid=282487

PVAS Vegan Wine and Cheese Night 2017

By Chris R.

On Saturday the 6^th of May, Possum Valley held its annual Vegan Wine and Cheese Night at the North Perth Town Hall. The evening was bustling, with more than 180 attendees coming together to taste over 15 wine varieties, 20 cheese varieties and an array of amazing finger food – all vegan and amazingly delicious. 

The following wines and cheeses were served on the night:

Wines:

Whites:
Lake Charlotte Stirling White

Lake Charlotte Classic Charlotte

Cullen Vineyard White

Woodlands Chardonnay

Black Rock Chardonnay

Peacetree Sauvignon Blanc

By the Horns Sauvignon Blanc

Cullen Semi Sauvignon Blanc

Five Stones Semi Sauvignon Blanc

Ashbrook Estate Verdelho

Reds:

Lake Charlotte Shiraz

Yalumba Patchwork Shiraz

Five Stones Shiraz

Juniper Estate Shiraz

Lake Charlotte Cabernet Sauvignon

By the Horns Cabernet Sauvignon

Juniper Estate Cabernet Merlot

Lake Charlotte Merlot

Cullen Merlot  Malbec Petit Verdot

Earthworks Tempranillo

Brown Brothers Cienna

Brown Brothers Dolcetto and Syrash

Other wines:
Birdwood Park Pear Wine

Lake Charlotte Rose

Cheeses:
Noshings – Marinated Feta, Chipotle and Jalapeno Havarti, Cheddar with Peppercorn, Cheddar with Caramalised Onions, Brie

Damona – Brie, Pepperjack

Vegusto – No Muh, Classic, Mild

Sprout and Kernal – Aged Nut, Classic Cashew, Peppercorn, Herb and Cashew

Green Vie – Cheddar, Gouda, Mozzarella

Cheezley – Cheddar, Nacho

Gemchi and Me – Onion and Garlic, Herb, Chilli

Cheezus Cheese – Original and Smokey 

Hand crafted cheeses:

Esti’s – Kick Ace Cheddar

Fox with a Fork – Air Dried Cheddar

Sue Torlach – Tangy Ricotta with Chives

Maggies – Cashew Ricotta

Rowan McCartney – Cheddar Wheel

Scott Dunning’s (Roark and Co) – Nacho Cheese

  

The North Perth Town Hall looked spectacular on the night, decorated with fairy lights and native flowers and foliage, much of which was collected in the Valley and lovingly arranged by Stacey Litchfield.

 

Peter Blake, culinary extraordinaire, headed the kitchen, turning out platters of gourmet canapés and wowing the crowd with an amazing dessert selection at the end of the night. 

Daniel, Pete and Chris in the kitchen.

Bar staff were busy serving the wide selection of wines, with Cullens, a regular sponsor, being one of the most popular wineries featured. The crew from Treehouse Brewery impressed all with beers, cider and kombucha on tap at their two very funky mobile bars.

Guests enjoyed live music performed by Trouvaille, who donated their evening in support of the event. Meanwhile the silent auction and merchandise table, spinning wheel and the ‘who’s who’ game kept everyone busy between sets of songs.

Trouvaille performing on the evening.

A huge thank you to all who volunteered, cooked, cleaned, attended and promoted our event – it is the Valley’s biggest fundraiser of the year and vital in assisting with our significant vet and feed costs.