In Macedonia, breeding is mainly present in altitude, represented by small ruminants, in which sheep largely predominate over goat. Indeed, the Republic of Macedonia is the Balkan country which has the smallest herd of goats in relation to the total number of small ruminants (more sheeps than goats). This speciality is the result of a strict regional policy, which has profoundly influenced the structure of Macedonian breeding. In 1947, in a clear concern to protect the landscapes of the Socialist Republic of Macedonia, Tito's government declared a ban of the breeding of goats in that region. At this time, more than 500,000 goats (Balkan goats) roamed the small Republic of Macedonia and were accused of destroying fragile soils and participating in deforestation. So, to stem the process of erosion induced by the herds of goats, a law prohibiting goat breeding appeared and was reinforced by the slaughter of all existing herds in the Republic of Macedonia. The result came early. In two years, the goat population went from 500,000 to 47,000 heads. The ban was not lifted until 1989 and although the goat is once again establishing in the Macedonian landscape (around 200,000 goats today), its absence for more than forty years was conductive to the development of the sheep herd (2,3 million) which feed, in summer, in the high mountains of the country.
Ctojadin lives in the small village of Konyouh, in the northeast of the Republic of Macedonia. He raises about fifteen Alpine or crossbred goats. He sells the kids for meat.
In the North-West of Macedonia, 73,000 hectares of mountain ranges (the Bistra), forests and lakes make up the Mavrovo National Park, created in 1948. The park is home to a variety of wildlife (bears, wolves, Balkan lynxes ) and a rich flora (we harvest juniper to make gin !!). In a breathtaking landscape, large herds of local “Sharplaninska” sheep climb the high mountains of the park in summer. In this region, winter is harsh. Livestock farming is therefore semi-nomadic and is divided into two main periods. From May to October, the sheeps live pasturing over a large area of mountains. In the fall, the herds move to the valley where the climate is milder, sometimes to the southern end of the country, near Thessaloniki (Greece). The herders here therefore have a very particular rhythm of life, as they leave their families for five months to isolate themselves - with their sheep - in the mountain ranges of the park. In this environment, far from everything and everyone, only the electricity provided by a few solar panels connects the herders to "civilization". This way of life is derived by the herders of Mavrovo Park from an ancient nomadic tribe, the Mijaks, who settled in the region during the 5th and 6th centuries.
In the middle of June, to get to the sheep herders in Mavrovo Park, it is almost impossible to consider the use of a motor vehicle. Often, a narrow dirt road climbs over a thousand meters above sea level to the farmhouse, nestled between mountain peaks, protected from the wind. So it was on the backs of Macedonian horses that we set out to meet the shepherds of the Park!
The exceptional character of this visit is thanks to Vasco and David, owner and guide, respectively, for the Sherpa Horse Riding Macedonia in Galichnik, in the heart of the Park. Two small, knowledgeable horses with sturdy feet climbed us to an altitude of 1,600 meters until we reached a small house surrounded by fenced parks.
It was around a glass of whey that Zirap and Abdiji welcomed us to their "summer residence". Zirap and Abdiji live with two other shepherds and a thousand sheeps during the summer. So four shepherds, each with between 200 and 300 sheeps, gather here half the year to raise their animals together. Symbols inscribed on the backs of the sheep identify where they belong, so that each owner takes back the road that leads to the valley in the fall with his herd.
Marked sheeps. On the first sheep is inscribed the symbol "M" (on the left). The second (right) has three stars on the back. During their five months of life in autarky in the Park, the four associates share together the keeping of the flock, the milking of the ewes - by hand - and the cheese making. Zirap and Abdiji mainly make “white” cheese (a form of Feta), stored with salt in small metal containers for two months. This soft cheese, with a fatty and smooth texture, is popular with the locals and sold directly to the inhabitants and restaurants of the region.
Photos: 1. Zirap in the lodges for milking the ewes 2. Entrance for the ewes 3. Curdled milk in a press 4. Cheese salted and stored in the metal container 5. Maturation room.
The land used by the shepherds in the Park is the property of the State. Here, the concepts of "property" and "exploited area" are unknown. The animals roam on areas of grass organized around water sources and delimited by small stone walls erected around mountain peaks. The share of work between breeders in summer is an organization specific to the region. Often, these are even employees who keep large herds of several thousand heads, each specializing in the tasks of breeding or making cheese. Sheep farming in the Park and the special living conditions associated with it are now in danger of extinction. The workforce is nowhere to be found in the country and only the Albanians and Kosovars are still there to participate in this difficult work. For David, our guide, it is obvious that to save livestock farming in the region, it will be necessary to modernize the activity. When we talk about modernity, we are of course talking about what, for us, has been essential for a long time: electricity, heating, infrastructure for breeding and decent living and the opportunity for breeders to build a family life at altitude.
Living room of the breeders
Did you know ?
"Capri, c'est fini !"
Goat farming in Macedonia began to rebuild in 1989, when Tito's government ban was lifted. Today, the Balkan goat (an indigenous breed) represents the majority of Macedonian goats, living mainly in the east and south-east of the country. The Balkan goat is threatened with extinction because there is no selection control to maintain the breed and it is subject to various crosses with foreign breeds (Saanen, Alpine).
- Mountain forbidden to minors
Lambing takes place in late winter and early spring, when the animals are still living in the valley. Lambs are sold between three and four months of age, before the herd migrates into the Park. Indeed, the lambs cannot withstand the harsh climatic conditions of the mountain. A few rare lambs are born in the Park, but their life expectancy is practically zero.
- Cheese specialties
In the region, we produce white cheese, Kashkaval (cheese stored in a wooden barrel, boiled and then matured for three months), and Kiselo Mleko (a kind of fermented milk). All cheeses produced in this region are non-pasteurized. The regulations do not allow cheese producers to market non-pasteurized products through a distribution channel (such as supermarkets). This is why all the cheeses are sold directly "on the farm" (generally to local buyers).
From left to right :
David (guide for the Sherpa Horse Riding Macedonia), Abdiji, Zirap and Bastien
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