Krvavec hosting dairy farming festival
Its aim is to preserve the long tradition of dairy farming in the area, which boasts one of the highest-lying mountain pastures in the country.
The Kravca s Krvavca Fest (Cow from Krvavec Festival) is organised by two pasturing communities, one from the northern Kriška Planina and the other from the north-western Jezerca.
The event targets dairy farmers and lovers of home-made dairy products. Visitors will also be able to buy unprocessed whole milk.
The programme will include a recreational hike with herdsmen and cows through the pasture paths of Krvavec (1,853 m) along with other events.
The majority of Slovenia's mountain pastures are located in the Julian Alps, the Karavanke mountain range, and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps.
In the past 20 years, their number has been gradually dropping, despite the fact that they are a significant asset for farmers and culture in the area.
Though social and demographic changes have not been favourable to mountain farming, mountain pastures still hold an important role in agriculture. Pasturing in mountain pastures means cheaper feed, and less work for farmers who must in this time of the year prepare hay for the winter.
Thanks to pasturing, areas considered less suitable for intensive farming due to their remoteness and lower productivity are made good use of.
According to the Agriculture Ministry, there are 177 pastures in Slovenia, stretching over an area of 9,348 hectares.
Last year, EUR 1.35 million was allocated to promote farming there. Other support mechanisms are also available to local farmers.
Agricultural policies aim to revive mountain pastures, as the number of livestock in the mountains has been decreasing in recent years.
In 2007, livestock feeding on Slovenian mountain pastures counted 7,800 heads, while last year the figure dropped to 6,700.
The Kriška Planina and Jezerca pasturing communities are one of the few communities in the Gorenjsko region whose use of mountain pastures has never decreased.
This year, 390 cattle will be grazing by mid-September, 160 cows in the Jezerca community and 230 in the Kriška Planina community. Together, they produce around 6,300 litres of milk a year.