Let me explain the word "fäbod" to you; it is really two words, "fä" and "bod" and together they simply mean "a place to put the livestock". However, that is not enough to describe this very typical Swedish phenomenon. Actually it's a summer grazing pasture.
We do not really know when exactly we started using fäbodar. The main theory, presented by Sigvard Montelius, suggests that in the old days the fields were small and hardly produced enough grain for the farmers and their families let alone provide grazing for the livestock. So the livestock had to graize in the forrests. When the farms changed into villages, due to distribution of estates, they had to go further and further away from home to find suitable pastures. Finally the distance was to great for them to be able to come home at night hence buildings were erected to house both livestock and the herds-girl (or boy). Yes, that's right, herding the livestock was mainly the job for the young girl in the family or among the hired hands.
The fäbod tradition never died out completely in Dalarna but today it isn't quite as hard. Women born in Dalarna are still called "kulla" and the men are called "mas". These names originate from the "fäbodlife".
A 100 years ago the fäbod life had its peak with about 20 000 fäbodar in the woods.
Every village had at least one fäbod. The distance between the village and the fäbod varied but it could be as far away as 30-40 km.
Usually one herds-woman, in Swedish "vallkulla" would be in charge of the entire fäbod with some assistance of a younger herds-girl, swe. "kulla" or a young boy, a "mas". Working the fäbod was no picnic for these people, early in the morning the livestock had to be milked and then let out in to the woods, every single minute of the day was full of things to do. In the lonely late evenings "kullan" had to make butter and cheese so that the milk wouldn't go to waste. Usually she wouldn't get more than 3-4 hours of sleep.
The oldest summer pastures
It's from the skattelängder (tax rolls) from the 16th century we know the names of the pastures. When you visit fäbodar, please remember that fäbodar are private property and "The right of public access" does not apply within the fäbod area.
Translation made by: Maria Brandes