Justistal's Cheese: A Tasty Alpine Treat

The Justistal Valley, located in Switzerland, is home to a long-standing tradition of cheese-making. Every summer, farmers bring their cows to the valley to graze, and the milk is used to craft cheese wheels in alpine cabins. This tradition, known as Chästeilet, has been practised for almost 300 years and includes a ceremony where the cheese is divided among the farmers. Visitors can witness the cheese-making process and enjoy an alpine dairyman's breakfast. The Justistal Valley is renowned for its cheese, attracting crowds to witness the parting of the cheese.

The Justistal Chästeilet is a 300-year-old tradition

The process begins around the end of May, when farmers walk their cows up to nine different alps in the 1,400-meter elevation Justistal Valley. Here, the cows and sheep graze freely for 100 days, and the milk is transported daily by cable car to a lower elevation hut for cheese-making. Each alp's milk is crafted into cheese wheels, contributing to a summer total of 3,500 kilograms of cheese.

On the last day of summer, the cheese wheels are brought out into the open for distribution to the farmers. In a human chain, farmers arrange neat piles of cheese, ensuring an even mix of weights and ripening stages based on strictly kept milk production records. The distribution method is very precise, using traditional Swiss measurements called Saum and Los to pile up eight wheels in each stack.

The lead farmer begins the calling out of the cheese, signalling the start of the Justistal Chästeilet. Traditionally, cheese wheels are not cut, so farmers negotiate part-ownership through monetary means. After a valley picnic of Justistal cheese, meats, bread, fruits, and wine, the farmers walk their animals, adorned with paper flower decorations, down into the valley and back to their barns, marking the end of the Alpine summer.

The Justistal Chästeilet is a well-known event beyond the borders of the Canton, attracting visitors who hike up to the Justistal to witness the cheese parting and participate in the festivities, which include yodelling, alpen horn playing, and a procession of farmers in traditional costume. The event is a testament to the long-standing Swiss direct democracy and cooperative decision-making in alp farming in the region.

Farmers walk their cows to nine different alps in the Justistal Valley

The Justistal Valley is home to the Chästeilet, or the parting of the cheese, which has been a tradition since 1739. The cows that produce the milk for the cheese belong to farmers from the municipality of Sigriswil. At the end of the summer, the cheese is divided among the farmers. The farmers dress in traditional costume and lead a procession back down to the valley, with the cattle adorned in flowers and bells.

The Chästeilet is a well-known event that attracts visitors from beyond the borders of the Canton. Visitors can witness the day-to-day work of a dairyman and hike to an alpine cabin where the cheese is made. The dairyman uses a "Chäschessi", or cheese cauldron, to make the cheese. After watching the cheese-making process, visitors can taste the cheese as part of an alpine dairyman's breakfast.

The cows graze freely for 100 days

The cows spend the summer months in the valley, grazing on the lush alpine grass. The milk produced by the cows is collected daily and transported by cable car to a lower elevation hut, where it is crafted into cheese. Over the summer, the alpine farmers make cheese from the milk of more than 250 cows. The cheese-making process is a meticulous one, with each farmer playing a role in ensuring the milk is transformed into delicious wheels of cheese.

The cows' milk is used to make Bernese Alp cheese, which has been proven to contain more Omega 3 fatty acids than Mountain cheese. The cheese-making process is a long-standing tradition in the Justistal valley, dating back to at least 1739. The farmers' hard work and dedication result in a tasty treat that is enjoyed by locals and visitors alike.

The cheese is made in a Chäschessi, or cheese cauldron

The Justistal Chästeilet, or "parting of the cheese", is a traditional event held in the Justis Valley, Switzerland, since 1739. During the summer, farmers make cheese from the milk of around 250 cows. The cows graze freely for 100 days in the valley, which is situated at an elevation of 1,400 meters. The milk is then transported by cable car to a lower-elevation hut where it is crafted into cheese.

The cheese is made in a "Chäschessi", or cheese cauldron, in an alpine cabin. The process of cheese-making can be witnessed by visitors to the valley, who can hike to the cabin and observe the dairyman at work. After the cheese is made, it is distributed among the farmers. This distribution is done according to a century-old ritual, with each farmer helping to arrange neat piles of cheese with a mix of weights and ripening stages.

The Chästeilet event is a unique tradition in the European Alp region, and it attracts a large crowd, including many tourists who make the journey up to the Justistal specifically for the occasion.

The cheese is distributed to each farmer according to a century-old ritual

The Chästeilet, or "parting of the cheese", is a traditional event that takes place in the Justis Valley, Switzerland. It has been held since 1739, and perhaps even earlier. The name "Chästeilet" refers to the distribution of cheese among farmers at the end of the summer.

The process begins with the farmers walking their cows to nine different alps in the Justistal Valley, where the cows and sheep graze freely for 100 days. The milk is then transported by cable car to a lower elevation hut for cheese-making. At the end of the summer, the cheese wheels are collected and brought out into the open for distribution to each farmer.

The distribution of the cheese follows a century-old ritual. In a human chain, farmers work together to arrange neat piles of cheese, ensuring an even mix of weights and ripening stages. The distribution method is carefully calculated based on strict milk production records kept throughout the summer. Swiss measurements called Saum and Los are used to determine the number of cheese wheels in each stack.

On the day of the Chästeilet, the lead farmer calls out the start of the distribution, and each farmer's name is randomly picked out of a bag. The farmers then find their allocated stacks and take their share of the cheese. The ceremony is followed by a valley picnic, where the farmers celebrate with Justistal cheese, cured meats, crusty bread, fruit, nuts, and wine. The event concludes with a procession back down to the valley, with the farmers and their animals adorned in traditional costumes and decorations.

The Chästeilet is a unique tradition in the European Alp region, and it showcases the cooperative spirit of the regional farmers, who jointly decide on matters of alp farming in the area. It is a well-known event that attracts visitors from beyond the borders of the Canton.

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