The cows produce the milk which the farmers use to make cheese. But when winter approaches, the mountains get too cold and snowy for the cows to stay there. The farmers bring them back down to lower elevations.
Recently, I got to watch the cows coming down from the mountains, a Swiss tradition known as the désalpe in French. In some villages, farmers decorate their cows with colorful flowers and big bells to celebrate their return. It was amazing to see how closely Swiss food and traditions are connected to the surrounding environment!
