(Post 1 of 5) There are more sheep than people in the ring when we arrive. The Queen of the Mountain has been organizing the sheep herders up in the highlands for a week, and today the animals are driven down to Skaftholtsréttir, the annual sheep round up for this region. The central ring, which…
(Post 3 of 5) Jón Marteinn Finnbogason is the youngest son of the six siblings from Minni-Mástunga farm, and he will keep the business going, even though times are changing. “People don’t eat lamb anymore. They eat all this American shit.” You can only get fresh lamb in fall, and Icelandic lamb is, according to…
(Post 4 of 5) Many people come to the sheep round up on horseback, and finding your horses again can be a bit of a trick. Guðmundur Stefán Finnbogason (Gummí) is another son from Minni-Mástunga farm, and he’s gathered his five horses together to drive the sheep the last seven kilometers back home. To find…
(Post 2 of 5) Getting a sheep into the ring isn’t always easy, and it’s best to start young. Here, a man shows a little girl what to do. Straddle the sheep, grab it by the horns, and don’t let go. The important thing is to have a good grip; some of the little kids…
(Post 5 of 5) Finnbogi Jóhannsson has been in the background all day, but his leadership is clear. His family has been working these fields for generations, and he has owned this specific farm for 32 years. Finnbogi knows the best course, the right pace, and how to keep his sheep safe. They are very…