CULTURE AND NATURE: THE EUROPEAN HERITAGE OF SHEEP FARMING AND PASTORAL LIFE
RESEARCH THEME 8: FOOD TECHNOLOGY
RESEARCH REPORT FOR POLAND
By Helena Buńda
MUZEUM KRESÓW W LUBACZOWIE
NOVEMBER 2011
The CANEPAL project is co-funded by the European Commission, Directorate General Education and Culture, CULTURE 2007-2013.Project no: 508090-CU-1-2010-1-HU-CULTURE-VOL11
This report reflects the authors’ view and the Commission is not liable for any use that may be made of the information contained herein
Traditional technologies of food production based on sheep breeding /diary product, meat/
A.Transport...... 3
B.Infrastructure ...... 7
C.The process of production ...... 7
Oscypek ...... 8
Redykołki ...... 11
Bundz...... 12
Bryndza...... 13
Żentyca (zyntyca)...... 13
Gołki...... 13
D.Trade and the commercialization process...... 13
E.The social capital ...... 14
F.Know‐how...... 15
G.Feasts, festival, rituals...... 18
A.Transport In the past in the Podhale region there was this saying “the one who has sheep is the one that has whatever he wants”. Nowadays, one can say that is is a slogan that has nothing to do with the reality. Pastoralism and all sheep products constituted a very important branch of economy in the Tatras where a severe climate and a less fertile soil limited the abilities of life of the local community. In his work “O mieszkańcach gór tatrzańskich. Najdawniejsza monografia etnograficzna Podhala” (in Eng: “About the Inhabitants of the Tatra Mountains. One of the Oldest Ethnographic Monograph of the Podhale Region”) L. Kamiński wrote that “one of the most needed, useful for them animal was a sheep”. It was because of the fact that costs of the maintaining were low and there were many benefits a farmer could get out of it, namely food, clothes and money.
Il. 1. The sheep pasturage in Podhale. Phot. Diana Woch, 2011
The peculiarity of pastoralism from the Tatra Mountains and the law regulations concerning the milk products caused that the whole technological process together with transport have the local character. It means that from a place a milk is produced (pasture land) it is then transported to szałas (a wooden hut located on a pasture land) where it is pasteurized and processed. Sheep are milked to gielty – a wooden vessel that is also used to carrying the produced milk to a place where it is further processed. Because of the small distances and the amount of milk such a vessel for a milk transportation is enough. What is more, gielta is made out of a wood that does not change its taste. In the Podhale region the most popular breed of sheep is cakla which because of the Transylvanian and Frisian breed mixture has one of the best features for animal breeding. One of the best partners of sheep has always been a cow which milk in adequate proportions supplemented the sheep milk composition in the production of oscypek and constituted a food for the local community.
Il. 2. Milking sheep in Hala Pięciu Stawów. Phot. Z. Kamykowski, 50s the twentieth century (The collection Tatra Museum in Zakopane)
According to Z. and W. Paryscy in “Wielka Encyklopedia Tatrzańska” (in Eng: “Great Encyclopaedia of the Tatra Mountains” (edited in 1995, p. 886):”In the interwar period each year around few thousands sheep were grazing in the Polish Tatras. After war, in 1946, it increased to 30 000 sheep, and then as result of Great Redyk (time when shepherds with sheep are going to pasture lands and returning from them) and a redemption of pasture lands, it started to fall (in 1967 there were only few thousand of sheep grazing in the Polish Tatras). The number of cows (with heifers) counted in some years two thousands , and sometimes even three thousands in the Polish Tatras”. As a result of the constant growth of the number of sheep, after the war some discussions started concerning with the destructive role of pastoralism in the Tatras. Thus, in order to protect the wild nature, both fauna and flora, there were taken actions which main goal was to turn out sheep from the Tatras’ pasture lands to the Pieniny mountains. This process was known as the Great Redyk.
Il. 3. Cooking milk ("warzenie") in the boiler (Podhale). Phot. Z. Kamykowski, 50s the twentieth century (The collection Tatra Museum in Zakopane)
In the 1980s there were taken some actions which led to the reintroduction of the process of grazing to the Tatras. It was caused by the shepherds who claimed that it is their tradition and they are obliged to practice shepherding in the name of the land they came from. Moreover, there were many natural factors that were in favour of the reintroduction of the process of grazing to the Tatras for it was noticed that the absence of sheep on pasture lands had an impact on flora – pasture lands started to overgrow, some species of plants disappeared that were introduced to pasture lands because of the grazing of sheep and other animals. As a result of these actions, it was decided that the pasturage of sheep should be reintroduced to the Tatras, the so called cultural pasturage. It is being realized on the basis of the regulation of the Tatra National Park where bacas (shepherds that guide herds of sheep) sign an agreement with the management of the Tatra National Park. The realization of the activities within this agreement is strictly monitored by the TNP. The agreement determines the number of sheep (up to 1500) and cows, the place of pasturage, baca clothes, shepherds’ clothes and the technical and aesthetic condition of bacówka (a hut of baca). The main goal of the pasturage is the reintroduction of the former natural balance in the Tatras landscape and the continuation of customs and a rich tradition connected with pastoralism.
Il. 4. Cheese production in the pastoral family hut Miętus (Zakopane). Phot. Tadeusz Zwoliński, 1922 (The collection Tatra Museum in Zakopane) B.Infrastructure Szałas (a kind of hut) is the main object on a pasture land. It is made out of wood on a stoned foundation. There is a bonfire and place to produce oscypki. Szałas is also a place where shepherds live. The primitive form of szałas was koliba – it was made with the use of natural rock walls to which the rest of walls were built and covered with planks. Except for szałasy there are many other objects on a pasture land: • Sheds for hay – they appear on pasture lands where there is “a meadow economy” • Stable for the cattle and horses • Milking place – a kind of an extension of a hut that is used when the sheep are milked • Komornik - a roof next to a hut where the cheese is dried • Budka – an object where the shepherds stay while they are guarding herds of sheep in the night • Kosory – permanent or temporary fences for sheep • Mraźnice – permanent fence for sheep made out of stones and branches of the mountain pine • Strągi – fences used while the milking of sheep Bacówki (szałasy) are located in the unbuilt green areas where the amount of grass is enough for the time of the whole pasturage (pasture lands in Tatras, areas in the Pieniny mountains, the Bieszczady Mountains and others), with an access to water, mostly it is a well or a natural source. According to the requirements regulated by the rules of law and giving a protected name of origin the quality of water used to the production of oscypek is monitored by the proper authorities.
C.The process of production In the Tatra Mountains there are produced cottage and smoked cheeses which because of the technology of production have their own unique taste and smell, and the process of pasteurization makes that they are safe products (there aren’t known cases where someone would get sick after eating oscypek). Out of sheep milk one can produce oscypek, redykołki, bundz ( or bunc), bryndza, żentyca (zyntyca). From a cow milk one can made popular gołki, or small cheeses that have a shape of oscypek. Because of the identification of the quality trade the prepared products are sold in wrappers labelled number of the veterinary medicine and the address of the place of production (bacówki). Oscypek – a milked sheep milk is filtered through sata (linen material), warmed up in a pot above watra (the bonfire) and then podpuszczka (klog) (in Eng: rennet) is added. After some time cheese precipitates and pucony (in Eng : made) oscypki are produced out of it. Cheese is put to cyrpok (a wooden vessel which is a size of one oscypek), it is kneaded, and then a clod is formed in spindly shape of oscypek. In order to better strain it, oscypek is pricked with a stick and finally put to a mould and tightly squeezed. The inside walls of the mould are carved, thus oscypki have reflexed patterns that give them nice look. Next, oscypki are soaked in the specially prepared kitchen salt solution – rosole and then they are put on a shelf known as podysore and smoked in the smoke from a bonfire.
Il. 5. Cheese production in the pastoral hut of Józef Słodyczka in Podhale (after heating and addition of sheep's milk “podpuszki” - renin, chymosin, precipitated lumps of cheese, which were collected arms and formed into lumps, the one prepared by a lump of cheese “oscypek; in order to better squeeze the whey from the cheese during the formation of lump pierces the wire). Phot. Barbara Woch,, 2011
Il. 6.7. Cheese production in the pastoral hut of Józef Słodyczka in Podhale (formation of sheep's cheese in a wooden mold - "oscypiorka"). Phot. Barbara Woch, 2011
Il. 8. Cheese production in the pastoral hut of Józef Słodyczka in Podhale (cheese soaking in brine - the so-called. "rosół"). Phot. Barbara Woch, 2011
Il. 9. Cheese production in the pastoral hut of Józef Słodyczka in Podhale (smoked cheese on the shelf under the roof of the hut pastoral). Phot. Barbara Woch, 2011
Il. 10. Smoked sheep cheese “oscypek”. Phot. Tatrzańska Agencja Redykołki – they are made out of the remainders of cheese left from the production of oscypek. They have a shape of a heart (parzenica) or animals. In the past it was a popular gift during the autumn redyk, nowadays it is a unique product, almost unknown.
Il. 11. Form and smoked sheep cheese “redykołka”. Phot. Adam-Brzoza.com Bundz – it is produced in the process of warming up the sheep milk (the first stage of oscypek production) by adding podpuszczka (in Eng: a rennet). At this stage (klogiano) milk is blended intensively with a specially made to it big spoon known as ferula. After some time cheese is precipitated. Such solution is then filtered through sata on which clods of cheese are precipitated. Then, it undergoes the process of dripping and as a result of, bundz cheese is produced.
Il. 12. Sheep's cheese "bundz" in the sheet of ("grudziarka”) suspended over a barrel ("puciera") during the extrusion of whey. Phot. Tatrzańska Agencja Bryndza - soft rennet chesse which is produced from a fermented and grond bundza cheese with a supplement of salt.
Il. 13. Sheep's cheese “bryndza”. Photo. Tatrzańska Agencja Żentyca (zyntyca) – it is a whey from a sheep milk which is made during the production of oscypek. There are two ways of drinking it. Either as a sweet whey just after the production, or as a sour cooled whey. In the 19th century, after the discovery of Zakopane by doctor Tytus Chałubiński, it was used as a patent medicine that helps to cure airways, especially tuberculosis. Gołki – are the traditional regional products, also known as ser gazdowski, kara, or pucok. It is made with milk from cattle. It is produced by adding to a milk podpuszczka (in Eng: a rennet) from which in the process of warming it up, cheeses precipitate. The shape is made thanks to kneading - pucenie, and then it is decorated in special moulds. Finally they undergo the process of smoking which prolongs their expiry date and at the same time does not change their tastes. D.Trade and the commercialization process Oscypki and other dairy products are sold in the place of their production (szałas) – it is the so called direct selling, which is hold according to some rules that result from some privileges for the traditional products. They are also sold beyond the place of their production (up to 80 kilometres from their place of production), according to the Regulation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on detailed conditions of the marginal, local and limited activity recognition (Journal of Laws of the Republic of Poland, abbreviated Dz.U. from the 25th of June 2010. Art 13 Paragraph 2 of the act from the 16th December 2005 on animal products (Dz. U. from 2006 . No 17, pos. 127, with changes.3))). In the direct selling, milk products are sold directly to tourists who visit bacówka. Whereas thanks to dairy or private entrepreneurs, one can buy them in grocer’s shops, on stands on markets, pedestrian zones (the famous Krupówki Street in Zakopane), or in restaurants. Nowadays, products from sheep milk are very popular – especially oscypek which in the holidays is produced on a large scale but there is still not enough of them for everybody. It is caused by the small amount of sheep milk (there is a small number of sheep that produces it) and a demand for it is really high. Long-term promotion activities by the District Office in Zakopane, and later on by Tatra Agency for Development, Promotion and Culture and efforts that were made so that it can be granted with the quality label – European Union certificate – caused that oscypek has become the king of the Polish cheeses and is recognized in the whole world. It is not only a delicacy, but also a regional product where origin, shape, smell, colour, and taste represent the mountainous region, and beyond the boundaries of our country – Poland. E.The social capital The production of oscypek is connected with the fixed rules that are regulated by the tradition and the recipe of the oscypek production. Only baca can knead - pucyć oscypek, whereas shepherds - juhasi and honielnicy help him with pasturage, milking, and other activities that are to be made in szałas (a hut). It can be said that bacas are a kind of elite of this profession because nowadays only 32 of them got the quality certificates. The production of oscypek is based on an individual, family activity where the tradition of shepherding are passed from generation to generation. Nevertheless, following the economic changes and the possibilities of the market development, bacas and small entrepreneurs create groups which statutory goals allow them to realize these assumptions. In 2007 came into being Tatrzańsko- Beskidzka Spółdzielnia Producentów “Gazdowie” that gathers shepherds from the Podhale, the Żywiec Beskids, and Silesia. Currently in this cooperative there are gathered 17 bacas and around 140 animal breeders. Nowadays, in Poland there are 250 000 sheep (in 1960-1980 there were 5 million sheep). 60 000 of them are milk sheep in the south of Poland. It is assumed that one shepherd can look after 100 sheep (the determinant is the sheep milking ability). F.Know-how The knowledge of the market in terms of the client’s needs causes that producers are constantly working on new ideas concerning the promotion of their products and on steps that should be taken so that the quality, quantity and the price of their products would satisfy both the buyer and the seller. It causes that bacowie associate themselves as members of a cooperatives so that they could get easier founds from the European Union. They took part in conferences, trainings where they gain their knowledge, and they share their experience which is used as a material for promotions, publishing houses, in educational actions, they lend their appearance in advertisements.
Il. 14. The leader of the shepherds “baca” Józef Słodyczka (Podhale). Phot. Barbara Woch, 2011 As a result of such activities they help to create new touristic products. The best example is “The Oscypek Route” which was created from the initiative of Tatra Agency for Development, Promotion and Culture in Zakopane in coopearation with bacas from Związek Hodowców, Owiec i Kóz and Tatrzańsko-Beskidzkiej Spółdzielni “Gazdowie” and constituted an excellent guidance for a tourist who wants to try the real oscypek. It is a kind of a tourist route that enriches the cultural offers from our region and shows 31 bacówki (huts of baca ) that are located in the Tatra county, Nowy Targ county, Limanowa county, Sucha county, Nowy Sącz county. The route is labelled with special information signs where there are pictograms of bacówki and a distance to a place where such a hut is located. Each hut that is labelled on a route has a characteristic information board where one can see a logo of “The Oscypek Route”. For the participation in this project were invited bacas that have special European Union certificates – the protected trade name which means that the name of the region, particular place or in some special cases the name of a country is used as a description of a product. The quality of this product or its characteristic features should be mainly connected with these particular geographical surroundings and the right for it natural and human factors. The whole technological process connected with preparation, processing and production the product took place in this particular geographical area. Thus, having a certificate guarantee the quality of a product. Therefore, oscypek according to these guidelines should: 9 have the right proportions of sheep and cow milk – acceptable proportions 60%-40% 9 shape and appearances – spindle-shaped, conical, the middle part is cylindrical with a diameter of 6-10 cm, decorated with the reflected patterns from the mould (oscypiorek), two cylindrical parts are even, they can be decorated at the endings; 9 taste and smell – smoked (to a bonfire there is thrown spruce wood, or alder wood), salty; 9 skin – even, elastic, can be slightly uneven; 9 colour – creamy, near the skin a little bit darker; 9 consistency – the elastic flesh, it can be slightly hard, slightly soft, and slightly brittle 9 eye cheese - small eyes, only few of them; Moreover, bacówka needs to meet certain sanitary conditions. Baca and his shepherds need to have medical examinations, baca’s sheep and dogs need to have vaccination that have an impact on their health condition. In order to be sure that all these rules are obeyed, there are some visitations and controls of these places. A certificate for oscypek is only given for a year. Getting a new one requires fulfilling a certain procedure that is led by Wojewódzka Inspekcja Jakości Handlowej Artykułów Rolno-Spożywczych as an application for checking if the regional product is produced according to its specification. On the route there are huts located within the Tatra National Park that are part of the so called cultural pasturage. These are the huts in Kuźnice, on Kalatówki, under Prealpes – Valley towards the Hole, the Chochołowska and Kościeliska Valley, and on Rusinowa glade. The owners of these huts came from families where shepherding is a family tradition, and their activity is for them both work and a duty towards their fathers and grandfathers. Thanks to the family traditions they have their own recipes for the production of oscypek. However, they say that even the best recipes will not be enough to produce oscypek that will be excellent in its smell and taste for it requires to have a lot of practice and tradition to do it.
Il. 15. Cheese production in Podhale. Phot. Zbigniew Kamykowski, 60s Twentieth century (Collections of the Tatra Museum in Zakopane)
The special localization of these huts causes that almost every hut has its own history e.g. a hut of Andrzej Gala Ziemba from the Chochołowska Valley was twice visited by the Pope John Paul II – Karol Wojtyla visited this place for the first time when he was a young man and lived there father of Andrzej Gala. He visited this hut for the second time in 1983 during his papal visit in Zakopane. Therefore, baca Gala claims that he produces the papal oscypki. In connection with Great Redyk pastoralism has also grown into the landscape of the Pieniny National Park. Huts in Czorsztyn and Jaworki near Szczawnica are very popular among the tourists that visit those regions. Products produced in these huts are displayed on many stands on markets in the country and abroad.
Another activity that helps in the process of development is the formation in June 2011 the Association of the Oscypek Route (initiated by Tatra Agency for Development, Promotion and Culture). The association gathers baca that have European Union certificates of quality. The statutory goals of this association are: • actions that popularize, develop, and promote the regional and traditional products and the dissemination of knowledge about them. • representing the interests of producers that have certificates that prove that the products are made according to the specifications characteristic for the technological process of the oscypek production ( protected trade name regulations). • cultivating the local tradition, customs, songs and rituals. • supporting the development of the regional and local culture. • actions in favour of natural environment protection. • promoting the healthy life style • taking up initiatives connected with the development of a physical culture and sport • gaining national and European Union funds for the realization of the statutory goals.
G.Feasts, festival, rituals A culture that flourished around pastoralism together with its rituals, customs, and nomenclature have constituted (even today) inseparable element of everyday life. In the tradition calendar of shepherds from the Podhale region, it is said the day of saint Wojciech the so called redyk starts. It is the first, after winter, migration of herds of sheep up to pasture lands. Nowadays, in Ludźmierz and Tarasówka in Mała Cicha take place festive masses during which baca and herds of sheep are blessed. People also ask God for the needed grace and a good and peaceful pasturage. There are still present customs which despite religious rituals also symbolizes the assurance of wealth, the protection against any diseases, and the attack of wolves and bears. Before baca goes into pasture lands, he gathers sheep that were given to him in kosorze that is locked with a chain. It is done so that sheep remember to stay close in a herds when high in the mountains. Every sheep is labelled – it is done by the owner on Good Friday. Next, baca incenses sheep with herbs which were consecrated during the feast of the Assumption of Mary and sprinkle them with the holy water. The prepared kierdel (a herd of sheep)can start the spring redyk (time when shepherds go with herds of sheep to pasture lands) together with juhasi, honielnicy (shepherds) and baca’s dog. The cart with pastoral equipment is also taken with them. When they get to a place of pasture, the first to enter szałas (a hut) is baca. He takes from his head a hat, makes the sign of the cross, puts the cross above the doors, sprinkles a hut with the holy water, and lights with the torch watra (a bonfire) that burns constantly – during the whole time of pasturage thanks to zawaternik ( a big piece of wood). Above the bonfire there is put a kettle – kotlik where the milk for the production of oscypek is warmed up. Next to the wall, shepherds put vessels that are used for the production of chesses. After the pasturage starts, sheep are counted – cytane with the help of the special hole that is called – a window. The counting takes place during the milking and sheep are driven through strąga (a special stall in kosora through which sheep go for the milking).
Il. 16. The shepherds during the grazing (village Rzepińska in Podhale). Phot. Zbigniew Kamykowski, 60s Twentieth century (Collections of the Tatra Museum in Zakopane)
In the past, in the first week of pasturage the owners of sheep came to glades and performed the so called mirowanie. It was a process during which they determined the yield of milk. Each owner milked sheep by himself and checked the yield of milk with stick – zamirek. He marked the stick by cutting it and thus, he measured the level of milk in gielta (a big wooden vessel). The same amount of water gave the weight of cheese baca would have to give back to the owner. Nowadays, it is the owner that pays baca for pasturage. Sheep are pastured till the day of saint Michael. It is the time when the autumn redyk (return to villages) starts. Sheep with a happy sound of bells and baca together with other shepherds come back to a village – dziedzina singing. Usually for them waits the owners of herds of sheep, their families and young girls that are yearning for their bachelors. Baca gives back a herd of sheep, settle accounts with the owners and pay his shepherds. Owiecki, owiecki, nie syćkieście moje / Sheep, sheep, you are not all mine Przydzie święty Michoł, kozdy weźnie swoje./ But on the day of Saint Michael, everyone will get his. Each year in August during the European Fair of Regional Products in Zakopane takes places “Oscypek and All Cheeses Festival” within which the competition for the best oscypek and Bacowska Parade are hold. Concluding, it can be stated that pastoralism with a special attention of the tradition production of oscypek is very popular nowadays. It is especially seen in many educational actions – learning about the region at schools, competition on pastoralism organized by the Tatra National Park, lectures, and cultural-entertaining events. Through marketing actions oscypek has become a symbol not only of the mountainous regions, but also a well known trade that is identified with Poland.
Il. 17. The sheep pasturage in Podhale. Phot. Adam-Brzoza.com