Hundreds of bleating sheep jostle through the narrow alleys of the hamlet of Riffenmatt near Guggisberg like a slow-moving avalanche. This marks the approach of autumn: each year, on the first Thursday in September, the region’s traditional Schafscheid (“sheep-sorting”) takes place here. The flocks have spent the summer on the pastures, with shepherd and sheepdog; now they are to return to their various owners. The sorting method has barely changed for centuries. The farmers corral the sheep into a big pen, look under the fleece of each one for an identifying mark, and separate them into the small pens arranged all around. After the colourful event, a market and fair draw crowds from far and wide.