Culture Cheese sharing Previous Next At the end of summer, those who graze their cattle on alpine pastures draw lots to determine how the cheese is shared out. (Pictures: Christoph Balsiger, swissinfo) swissinfo.ch A single round of alp cheese weighs between 10 and 15kg. swissinfo.ch The cheese is made from the milk of cows from nine different mountain pastures. swissinfo.ch Ready for sharing: there are 30 tons of cheese to go round, thanks to 250 cows. swissinfo.ch An age-old ritual using a unique system of measurements decides who gets to take home the most mature cheese. swissinfo.ch Each cattle owner receives as much cheese as can be made from the amount of milk his animals produce. swissinfo.ch A single cow gives enough milk during the summer for about six slabs weighing between 20 and 30 pounds (10-20kgs) each. swissinfo.ch The weight in pounds and production date are marked on the rind. swissinfo.ch Visitors are invited to taste and buy. swissinfo.ch The "Cheese Sharing" is a festive occasion with food, drink, music and dance. swissinfo.ch After the wine and cheese, who can resist a bit of yodelling? swissinfo.ch Hundreds of visitors make the trip to the Justis Valley each year to enjoy the special atmosphere. swissinfo.ch Picture 1 Picture 2 Picture 3 Picture 4 Picture 5 Picture 6 Picture 7 Picture 8 Picture 9 Picture 10 Picture 11 Picture 12 This slice of traditional life has aged well. This content was published on September 26, 2006 - 16:53 You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us! If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.