Buföring (transport of lifestock)

Already in the 17th century, the inhabitants of Sollerön were dependent on pastoral farming and carried out organised transport of livestock ("buföring") from their farms to what is known as "fäbodar". A fäbod was used intermittently to keep livestock and were inhabited only during summer.

The island's farmlands were inadequate, and the farmers were dependent on the fields and pastures of fäbodar. Sollerön's fäbodar are located in the forests on the mainland west of Siljan.

To transport the animals across the water, cows, goats, sheep and horses were loaded into big boats and rowed across the water to the mainland. The boats had one pair of oars at the bow and one at the stern, and between them were the cattle. In heavy weather, the crossing could be difficult and very risky.

On the western shore of the island there were several loading ports for these boats. There were also piers made of stone and timber where they could easily dock. The remains of such a pier can still be seen today south of the village Kulåra.

Sollerön's fäbodar were some of the most developed ones in the Siljan region. After the transport of the cattle from the island, the cattle and herds were first kept in what was known as "hemfäbodarna" (fäbod closest to home). They were also known as "åkerfäbodar" (field pastures) and were located on the mainland closest to Siljan. Towards the middle of summer, the cattle moved westwards to "mellanfäbodarna" (the middle pastures). Here, there were only small, cultivated fields and forest grazing dominated. When the grazing in mellanfäbodarna was finished, the animals were moved to långfäbodarna (fäbod furthest from home) where accommodation was primitive for both people and livestock. Towards autumn, the herds returned to mellan- and hemfäbodarna finally returning to the farms on Sollerön around All Saints' Day but in some cases not until just before Christmas. They were also called the field shacks and they were located on the mainland closest to Lake Siljan. About the middle of the summer, the grasslands moved west to the intermediate sheds. There were only small cultivated fields and the forest pastures dominated. When the grazing was over in the intermediate shack, the sheds were moved to the long shacks, where housing was primitive for both people and cattle. Towards the autumn, the haystacks returned to the middle and home sheds to finally come home to the farms on Sollerön towards the Halloween weekend and sometimes not until close to Christmas.

During most of the lighter season, the herds and cattle lived an almost nomadic existence, moving between the three areas. During their stay in the fäbodar, the herds produced butter, messmör and cheese, which were retrieved by people from their home farms.

Buföringen (the transport of livestock) was strictly regulated. The date was set by the parish council and announced in church. After that date, all animals had to be moved from the island and anyone who did not comply with the decision could be fined.