Farmers in Reyðarfjörður embrace traditional haymaking methods to support sheep farmers in Faroe Islands

In Reyðarfjörður, farmers are utilizing a traditional method of haymaking, favoring small bales instead of modern plastic rolls. During ideal weather conditions with temperatures reaching up to 18 degrees Celsius and dry, sunny skies, the farmers are working diligently to harvest the grass.

Local farmers in Áreyjar, Reyðarfjörður, are selling small bales to the Faroe Islands, helping small-scale sheep farmers there who struggle to manage larger bale sizes. “We sell to sheep farmers who don’t have many animals. Many are small-scale farmers without substantial barns or storage, making large rolls impractical. Since they only have a few sheep, the rolls would just spoil. They prefer the small bales, which is why we are engaged in this,” explains Marta Guðlaug Svavarsdóttir from Áreyjar.

The younger generation also pitches in during the haymaking process, helping to load the bales onto the wagon. Fifteen-year-old Þórhallur Karl Ásmundsson notes that “the hardest part is being on the wagon and stacking in the barn,” while twelve-year-old Svava Valrós Ásmundsdóttir mentions the difficulty of loading bales. The warm weather has proven favorable for the task, as thirteen-year-old Amelía Dröfn Sigurðardóttir expresses her satisfaction with the dry conditions.

The local farm relies on older machinery compared to other farmers, but family members with technical know-how maintain these machines well. The volume of hay exported varies according to local conditions and demand from the Faroe Islands, totaling around 5,000 bales annually due to their limited land resources.