Parking? For cows?

24 September 2011
Chris and I drove to the small town of Schüpfheim to watch the cows come down from the mountains.  Also know as Alpafahrt or Alpabzug.  This was a fasinating day and both of us came away with a new found love for the Swiss.   

The cows spend the summer months high in the Alps feasting freely on grassy green hillsides.  When the weather starts to change the cows are brought down from their free range banquet and are taken to their barns.  This isn't just a celebration of the cows coming home, the farmers' families are also coming down from the mountains. 

The dairy farmers wear traditional clothes and some even go barefoot.  This is a traditional procession and these gentlemen stopped and yodeled in a circle while the two with bells rocked and rang them.

Alphorn players.

The family's parade is usually headed by a boy that has seven white goats.  

Followed by the best producing Brown Swiss hefers (and the dairy farmer's daughters). 

Doesn't that bell look like it would be so annoying?  Every cow has a bell.  The best milk producers are in the front with the huge decorated bells and the flower garlands then the rest follow with moderate-size bells and the calves follow in the rear with smaller bells. 

So loud!

How does she see?

The families were coming down from different alps and going to their respective farms so they came from different directions through and out of the town. 

Love the sunflowers!

Such a beautiful setting for such an intriguing event.

Love the flags

We walked back to our car and followed a cow herd to their farm's turn-off.  What a beautiful and fun day.  The people were so nice and the whole atmosphere of the town was just so festive.  It was truly facinating!