Sheep gathering

When the sheep have lambs in the spring the farmer put special marks in the ear on the lamb. They also cut in the ears so they can recognise their livestock again. When the lambs are big enough they are put outside with their mothers. There they can be a part of the summer. In they later part of the summer the sheep are tout in the stable again so the farmer can choose the fattest and the healthiest to be send to the highlands. There can they get some fresh grass, because the grass grows slower in the highlands. But it can be tough to be in the highlands. So when the people go there in the autumn, to get their sheep back, there are always some sheep missing.
To go in the highlands to get the sheep is lot of fun but very hard. You can get all kind of weather and you are on a horse the whole day. The people who go longest are ten days and are very tired when they come back. Many of the people who go have a dog with them to help with the touting.
After the sheep are back from the mountains the farmers have to find their own sheep again, because there can be thousand of sheep from all the farmers in the area. That day is called “Réttir” in Icelandic.
That day all the sheep are put inside a big fence. Out from the big fence there are many small fences. Every farmer has their own fence to put their sheep in when they have got them back.
Then the farmers tout their sheep home. After the day everybody is very hungry so a delicious soup is made. It is called “kjötsúpa” or meat soup. All night long the people sing and have lot of fun.