Alahärmä is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated, together with Kortesjärvi and Ylihärmä, to Kauhava on 1 January 2009.
It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The municipality had a population of 4,661 (as of 31 December 2008) and covered a land area of 351.32 square kilometres (135.65 sq mi). The population density was 13.27 inhabitants per square kilometre (34.4/sq mi).
Ylihärmä is a former municipality of Finland. It was consolidated, together with Alahärmä and Kortesjärvi, to Kauhava on 1 January 2009.
It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Southern Ostrobothnia region. The municipality had a population of 2,916 (as of 31 December 2008) and covered a land area of 151.70 square kilometres (58.57 sq mi). The population density was 19.22 inhabitants per square kilometre (49.8/sq mi).
Antti Isotalo, also known as Isoo-Antti, Isoon talo(o)n Antti or Isontalon Antti (born 30 August 1831 in Hanhimäki, Alahärmä - died 8 August 1911 in Alahärmä) was a Finnish farmer and puukkojunkkari, who led the criminal gang Isoo-joukko (literally, 'Iso[talo]'s Bunch') together with Antti Rannanjärvi from 1856 to 1867.
Isotalo was a restless character, and his hobbies included horse racing. He was a shrewd businessman, and felt right at home at the town market. He seldom had to gather people around himself, instead people were reported to gather around him on their own initiative. He was a fearless and ruthless fighter. Because of his large size, he was often asked to act as a security guard in festivities.
Puukkojunkkari (Swedish: knivjunkare, translated to English as knife-fighter; lit. 'knife junker') or häjy (lit. 'mean, wicked') was a term used of troublemakers who were active in the Southern Ostrobothnia region of Finland in the 19th century. Fights among puukkojunkkaris were common, and often resulted in death. Puukkojunkkaris usually made trouble at weddings, stole horses and roamed the towns and villages. They also participated in gambling and theft. The most notorious puukkojunkkaris lived in towns near the Lapuanjoki river, such as Alahärmä. The first homicides took place in the 1790s, but the infamous "golden age" of puukkojunkkaris lasted from the 1820s to the 1880s.