RÉTTIR T Y he early Sheep Round-up!
I
n September the majority of farmers across the country will be herding their sheep from the plateaus of Iceland, which have been roaming freely in the wilderness throughout the whole summer. The sheep round-up is an annual event that most farmers look forward to as it will reveal the results of the quality of their year’s production. The occurrence also serves as a major social setting and is typically enveloped with good spirits (partia lly from f lask s being passed around), gatherings of friends, rejoicing of neighbours and, of course, some singing and dancing. And the younglings love to take part in the gaiety. So how does this whole process work? How on earth can farmers simply let their
domesticated sheep go, and then expect to reclaim them again by the end of summer? We did some research to unveil the secrets surrounding the roaming sheep, which most travellers have encountered on their journey in the countryside of Iceland.
Photography: Anna Maria Gunnþórsdóttir
www.icelandictimes.com www.icelandictimes.com
Born to Be Wild... Once a dam gives birth to a lamb, she is commonly kept inside the cowshed for the first two weeks, followed by a two week adjustment period on the farmland. After that the magic begins. Depending on the location of the farm, it is often enough for the farmers to simply open their gates to the wild and the sheep will know what is expected of them – to leave the farm. Some
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