Anything but normal

Anything but normal

Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 17 January 2025

Last year aroynd this time I was catching last reindeer from forest. It was lot of snow and colder. This year it is same work, catching reindeer. We are still missing some of them. This week was quite good for that.

On Saturday I got call about my reindeer female and unmarked calf male. On Sunday I had time to go and find them and eventually I got both of them and brought home. It was not easy as there was hunter's dog around and making my life difficult as it was chasing reindeer little.

Wednesday it was time to go different direction and there was Satu's female with female calf. Those I knew about where they were as they had gps devices, which as normally didn't take commads, so I had spent some time to find them. Calf had doubts about having me around, it took some time, eventually I caught both and they are home.

Next direction is somewhere, that might be programm for Saturday as we don't have any visitors at farm.

Weather turned shitty. The whole winter has been anything but normal, now it is even more like that. December no snow and if we got some then warm and rain. Then we had cold breeze and now again warm. Monday we had some snowing but not even close what was forecast. And then Wednesday eveing some more.

We maybe have about 35 cm snow now instead normal 90 cm on this time. Thursday morning we woke up for temperature +1c and during the day +2c and some rain. The snow we had Wednesday is packing because of water, yards are getting icy and slippery.

Forecast is that Friday is about same without rain and Saturday even +4c(39F) and some rain. We are really struggling with weather and this is extremely bad for reindeer. Especially for those who are still out, when snow goes wet and next week temperatures are dropping close to - 20c(-4F), snow will have hard  ice layer and reindeers won't be able to get food from ground.

I have to hurry about finding and getting our reindeer home, as days are still short and almost everyday work at farm with visitors, this is not easy task. As soon as we have all reindeer home it will be time to start casting sessions, hopefully during next two weeks.

So this winter is anything but normal. Just wondering how summer will be. It is not time to worry that yet, it will be what it will be.

Now I have to run as our fishing club is giving prizes from fishing competition and I won trout  serie. So trophy will be at farm until next Autumn. 

Have a great weekend and go fishing

Mika from Finland