Tradition am Steilhang - Die Schweiz und ihre Wildheuer (360° - GEO Reportage)

In the Swiss canton of Uri, farmers on the almost vertical slopes maintain a dangerous tradition: wild haymaking. For centuries, they have been mowing the grass for their animals here in the Alps, even above the pastures. This requires stamina and absolute surefootedness. But it's worth it, because wild hay is extremely healthy for the animals, regular mowing keeps the meadows free of overgrowth, and also protects against avalanches. High above Lake Lucerne, a dangerous adventure begins every August: the wild haymaking season. A film by Anja Reiß © 2020, Licensed by MedienKontor / ARTE Subscribe to wocomoTRAVEL: https://goo.gl/tIk2Qc Follow us on Facebook:   / wocomo   Press release: Sepp Herger has been on the mountain pastures with his parents since he was a child; he can hardly imagine any other life. Eight years ago, he bought his own mountain pasture in the canton of Uri, where he spends the summer with his wife Andrea – at an altitude of 1,500 meters. The two herd 80 cows up there, have their own goat farm, are cheese farmers, and, last but not least, wild haymakers. The hard-to-reach wild hay meadows, affectionately called "Wildi," are full of herbs and flowers, the hay is nutrient-rich, and regular mowing ensures that the areas remain free of forest and thus safe from avalanches. The canton even pays its farmers for this – but wild haymaking is not only physically strenuous, but above all extremely dangerous. The summer day begins early for Sepp and his wife. After the cows have been milked outdoors, directly on the alpine pasture, Andrea goes to their own cheese dairy, and Sepp heads to the "Wildi" – the steep wild hay meadows. Not only does he mow the hay from the meadows mostly by hand, he also has to tie it into 80-kilogram bales – six tons this summer alone. On even steeper and higher meadows, heavy equipment is sometimes used: mowers and helicopters. An adventure in the tradition of Swiss mountain farmers – and all against a breathtaking backdrop.