Steep slope haymaking: A Swiss Tradition

In the Swiss canton of Uri, farmers are still practicing a dangerous tradition on nearly vertical steep slopes: wild haymaking. Here in the Alps, cutting grass even above pasture level used to be a necessity to get enough animal feed for the winter. So it has been done for centuries - since time immemorial. Haymaking at such altitudes and on almost vertical inclines requires great physical fitness and absolute surefootedness. But it is worth it: the hay from the escarpments is particularly healthy for the animals. What's more, regular mowing keeps the meadows free of wild growth and is also a protection against avalanches. High above Lake Lucerne, a dangerous adventure begins every August: the wild haymaking season.