Almabtrieb
September
The Return from the Mountain Pasture is an autumn festival that takes place around Salzburg, Austria, and other areas in the German Alps on the day that the cattle are driven down from the mountain pastures to their winter shelter. The cattle are decorated with flowers and the Sennerinnen, or herding girls, who lead them wear traditional costumes that vary from place to place. Sometimes the cattle are brought to their final destination on flower-decked boats that ferry them across the mountain lakes. Once the cattle are safely in for the winter, the farmers hold welcome-home feasts which are followed by music, dancing, and singing.
See also Alpaufzug, Cow Fights
CONTACTS
National Park Administration Salzburg
Neukirchen am Grv. 306
Salzburg, A-5741 Austria
43-656-2408-4933
www.salzburg.gv.at/en/en-index
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Almabtrieb
The Almabtrieb (German language literally: drive from the mountain pasture) is an annual event in the alpine regions in Europe, referring to a cow train in autumn.
During summer, all over the alpine regions cow herds feed on alpine pastures high up in the mountains (a practice known as yaylag pastoralism). In numbers, these amount to about 500,000 cows in Austria, and 50,000 in Germany.
In autumn, these herds are led to their stables down in the valley, in the Almabtrieb cow train. In case there were no accidents during the summer, in many areas the cows are decorated elaborately, and the cow train is celebrated with music and dance events in the towns and villages.
In many places this alpine custom of Almabtrieb has nowadays evolved into a major tourist attraction, focusing on the marketing of local products and alcoholic beverages.
Traditionally, cow herders bring their cows from the Alps into Allgäu and nearby areas each fall in mid-September.[1][2] In Allgäu, September 18 typically "marks the official start of the Almabtrieb, a day celebrated with a festival ...."[2] Hirtenkäse, or "herder's cheese" is the distinctive cow's milk cheese made in the Allgäu area of Southern Germany, from cows that have participated in the Almabtrieb.[1][2]
In spring, the herds are once more led to the alpine pastures, in the Almauftrieb, which is however not celebrated.
References
- ^ a b Fond o'Foods website. Accessed March 17, 2009.
- ^ a b c Janet Fletcher, "Cheese Course: Hirtenkäse fans party when the cows come home," San Francisco Chronicle, February SF Gate website. Accessed March 17, 2009.
See also
- Trailing of the sheep, an equivalent in Idaho
- Transhumance
- Yaylag
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