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Færslur: 2011 September

18.09.2011 09:47

Göngur & Hraunsrétt 2011 - Sheeproundup, second try

This time the conditions were perfect, so we rode up to Þeistareykir on Wednesdayafternoon. We, that were Bjössi, Baldur, Guðny, Ditta, Ingólfur and me, alltogether with 17 horses. Ingólfur had 3 handhorses, quite a bunch to handle. Baldur led our small group and chose the way. We had fun teasing him a bit about his habbits in stopping (e.g.where to stop, where to eat and where to change horses), just stopped where it seemed good and smiling when Baldur said: "This has never been done like that before!" Well, we had a good ride through exceptional landscape over sands and lava to the mountain hut, where Kolli and Tora already waited for us.
After chosing beds for the next few nights and having light supper, we had a good time telling stories and chatting.
Next morning we got up around 8 o'clock, the first group leaving short after that, the rest an hour later. We rode to the meetingpoint from where we were going to drive the sheep south. Only very few sheep were visible, but we knew, they were somewhere around. Of course we had to wait a bit to get started. People were told where they were supposed to be in the line. We wore light yellow jackets so it would be easier to see the next person even over a big distance. Finally we got going, shouting and whistling, making a lot of noise to chase the sheep in the right direction. Some were not so willing to go, hiding behind small hills or rocks. But they didn't know we had phones and called to let know about those hiding...
This first day was a lot about waiting and walking, I was not much on horseback that day. I was happy I chose to take my hikingboots with me, they did a very good job.
After having dinner, people were talking, laughing and deciding, which songs to sing on Sunday.

Next morning we had to get up at 6 o'clock, which was in fact no problem after sleeping quite little. The westerngroup had to leave early, we had more time to eat breakfast, get the horses ready, going to the toilet, ...
Ingólfur was the one next to the mountains, Baldur was on top, trying to chase the sheep down. Bensi, who was first closest to the road, went to help at the mountainside together with Björgvin. Ditta and me were close to the road, Gunni and his dog in the car, helping us a lot.
Between us and Bensi were 2 more men, so we were alltogether 8 and 3 dogs east of the mountains. Right away in the start, Ingólfur had to go up the mountain and was there all the time, just walking and chasing the sheep down. Quite some work! One of the first sheep with lambs that came down was not so willing to run in the right direction, so we had to chase it quite much with our horses. In the end we managed to get it the right way.
The rest of the day was again a lot of waiting and walking and everybody was happy, when we drove the last sheep into the fence, where they would wait till the next morning. Móra, the old leadersheep of Bensi, came back home again, which nobody counted on. Móra is already 14 years old, a bit deaf and blind on one eye, but she definitely wanted to go home.
In the evening everybody had delicious grilled food, most of us far too much, everybody tasting from others, just having a good time. Then we had to sing the songs for Sunday a few times (I still don't know the text of most of them...) and there were a lot of stories told.
I fell asleep quite early just to be woken by the sound of a broken pipe. In fact, it wasn't a broken pipe, but somebody from the upper floor not reaching the toilet... Little sleep after that and waking up at 3.30 to have breakfast and pack everything.
We rode from the hut at 6 o'clock and started driving the sheep down to the valley at 7, because the weatherforecast promised a rather warm day. Not so easy for the fat sheep to walk in warm weather as they wear a double woolensweater and can't sweat.
Around lunchtime we arrived in Geitafell, where a lot of people waited for us to come along for the last bit of the way. Everything went well and we were at Hraunsrétt just around 7 in the evening.
We had a fast ride home, good dinner, a quick shower and went straight to bed.
Sundaymorning we put on white shirts and red ties, the outfit of the "Gagnamenn", those who did the whole sheeproundup. Then we rode to Hraunsrétt, where to sorting started at 10 o'clock. People were delighted to see their sheep come home after the summer, big and beautiful lambs with their proud mothers.
Sorting went well, the performance of the 4 songs too and even the way home with all the sheep was not much a problem, eventhough it would have been easier with a few more people walking besides the herd to drive them forward. We drove the whole herd home, unnecessary to say that Móra was of course first, a long time in front of the others. After sorting, the sheep went to the southern field and the lambs to the fertile fields with sweet grass.
We are happy everything went well without injuries or other accidents. I'll put in some pics later today!

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10.09.2011 09:14

Sheeproundup 2011

Autumn is the time to go to the mountains and gather the free roaming sheep and bring them back to the valley and home.

Well, usually tomorrow would be Hraunsrétt and we would be in the mountains right now, on the way down to Geitafjall togehter with a bunch of fellow riders and a herd of approximately 5000 sheep.

Only the weather made it not possible. The weatherforecast for Wednesday and Thursday was really bad, so the "Mission Sheeproundup" was delayed one day and after heavy rain and storm on Wednesday with a lot of snowfall up in the mountains delayed for an uncertain time. It would be far too dangerous for men and horses to walk the treacherous Þeistareykirarea covered with snow. No chance to see the cracks and difficult for the sheep to plough their way in the right direction.

Monday the head of the board will have another close look at the area and decide then, when we can go and gather the sheep. Everybody is hoping for Thursday to Saturday and Hraunsrétt next Sunday. So send us warm thoughts to melt the snow and keep your fingers crossed that we can go and get the sheep!

I attach some pics from last year.

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04.09.2011 22:59

Icelanders in Austria

Well, at least their roots lay in Iceland, but they hatched in Austria, better to say in Waldviertel at our neighbours' farm. Sigga in Laxamýri collected breeding eggs of her families Icelandic hens and sent them with us to Austria. 12 eggs it were, not all of them "survived" the incubator, but today at lunchtime already 4 little chicks had hatched and a fifth picking its way through the shell. I hope there will soon be a bunch of lively Icelandic chickens in Waldviertel. The black chick has even feathers on its feet and already is the little darling of our neighbour. We are looking forward to get news from them and will keep you updated.