Seterdrift

Seterdrift is a traditional form of pastoral farming in Norway, referring to the operation and management of a seter, a seasonal mountain pasture used for grazing livestock during the summer. The term combines seter (summer pasture) and drift (operation). Historically practiced by rural households, seterdrift was a key part of the transhumance pattern, moving cattle, goats, and sometimes sheep from lowland farms to higher elevations to access forage and to diversify milk production.

During the late spring and summer, herds are driven to setrer, where animals graze on alpine meadows. Milk produced there is collected daily, and in many seter communities dairies and processing facilities produce butter, cheese, and other dairy products to be sold in the valley markets. The seter houses, or seterhus, accommodate herders and milking operations and often include simple workshops and storage.

The practice declined with industrialization and changes in agriculture, as mechanization, farm consolidation, and transportation reduced reliance on seasonal pastures. Today, seterdrift persists in some regions as an agricultural activity, cultural heritage, and tourist attraction. Some farms maintain traditional operations alongside alternative incomes such as lodging and guided tours, while government and local organizations promote the preservation of historic routes, architecture, and traditional dairy knowledge.

The geographical distribution is strongest in western and central Norway, with related practices in neighboring Nordic regions adopting similar forms of seasonal pasturing. See also seter, fäbod, pastoralism, dairy farming.