Lambing season in Skagafjörður

WORK/PROJECT: In this project SEEDS volunteers will have the opportunity to get to know the traditional Icelandic farm life on a farm that has more than 50 cows, 100 sheep, a few hens and some horses. The volunteers will have the chance to get to know the local family and work hand in hand with them.

The main task of the camp will be to help out with the lambing season. Volunteers’ main task will be to watch over the sheep and assist during these two weeks of the lambing season. The working plan will be flexible and it will depend on the needs of our host as well as weather conditions. Volunteers will likely be divided into smaller groups that will take turn on shifts – day shifts as well as night shifts. The work will be physical and demanding.

Volunteers will also take shifts in the kitchen, preparing food for the group. During the last few days of the camp, there might be some tree planting. The weather in Iceland is unpredictable. Be prepared for all kinds of weather and be sure to bring warm clothing.

ACCOMMODATION: Volunteers will stay in a local house, and sleep in shared rooms in a sleeping bag accommodation with access to a kitchen and a bathroom. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Volunteers will take part in cooking and cleaning activities and sometimes they will have meals with the family.

Do not forget some traditional/typical food from your home country for an international evening.

LOCATION: The project takes place in an agricultural area in the North of Iceland –Skagafjörður, which is rich in both culture and history.  

In Skagafjörður you will find many protected areas such as Orravatnsrústir, in the grazing commons Hofsafrétt; wetlands surrounding Orravatn Lake and reaching north to Reyðarvatn Lake. Another example of an exclusive area in Skagafjörður is the upper end of Vesturdalur valley (Hofsárdalur valley): The innermost part of Vesturdalur, upstream from Miðmundargil gorge and including the canyon stretching inland from the valley.

Historically, the vast majority of Skagafjörður residents made their living through agriculture, though many were also engaged in fishing. Stagnation can be said to have marked many fields of life from about 1650 until 1850, when the impact of the industrial revolution began to surface, and the Icelandic demand for increased independence from Denmark received a great deal of local support. Trade practices likewise began to change and the general population began to migrate from the countryside. Many moved to America, but others relocated to villages and larger towns.

LANGUAGE: English will be the official language in the camp; high proficiency is not a requirement.

TERMINAL: Closest International Airport: Keflavík/Reykjavík (KEF).

SEEDS organises the “minibus option”, a shared transport from Reykjavík to the camps and back, which apart from being cheaper and more convenient, allows volunteers to meet fellow campers and have a relaxed trip.

EXTRAS / SPECIAL REMARKS: Participation fee EUR 180 (Euros). Please note that these fees are to be paid to SEEDS on arrival in either Euros or Icelandic krónas.

Volunteers should have a motivation for getting to know the ways of living in rural areas in Iceland, for working outdoors and be prepared for all kinds of weather. 

Our hosting partner will organise free time activities in the area, which might include horseback riding. There are also countless opportunities to discover the area by foot or to hike in the surroundings.

Age 18+