Breeds of The Emmental
The green hill country of Bern that gave its name to the cheese with holes, made from the milk of red and white cows.
Breeds of this place
Best time: May to October.
The Emmental is the valley of the river Emme, east of Bern, a land of steep green hills, large wooden farmhouses and village dairies. Its cheese, with large holes and a mild, nutty taste, is known around the world. The milk comes from herds of red and white Simmental-type cows and other breeds, fed on grass and hay rather than silage.
Cows and cheese
Emmental cheese is made in village dairies from raw milk delivered twice a day by local farmers. The large wheels ripen for months while gas from the cheese cultures forms the holes. The cows are mostly red and white, of Simmental and Red Holstein type. The rules for the protected cheese require that they are not fed silage.
Farm life
Emmental farms are known for their large houses with deep, sweeping roofs that shelter people, cattle and hay together. The writer Jeremias Gotthelf described the region's farm life in the nineteenth century. A show dairy at Affoltern lets visitors watch cheese being made.
A trail idea for The Emmental
- Langnau The main town of the upper Emmental.
- Affoltern show dairy Watch Emmental cheese made by hand.
- Lützelflüh Village of the writer Jeremias Gotthelf.
- Hill farms Large farmhouses and grazing herds on the slopes.
Written by the EveryCow desk with AI assistance. Background: "Emmental cheese" on Wikipedia. Fair dates, markets and visiting rules change; check locally before travelling, and keep a respectful distance from working animals. If something is wrong, tell us.
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