Technically it has been "summer" since the 22nd of June. Locally, the weather is acting exactly like spring and will do so - if the meteorologists are correct - for the rest of the month. While much of the rest of the world is sweltering, we're wrapped in our duvets. No meals on the screen porch for a few days.
Our high today has been in the low 60s with overcast, wind, thunderstorms and significant pea-sized hail. Tonight the low should drop to near freezing, 35℉ is predicted. We've stayed in and napped off and on.
This isn't peculiar, the local growing season is roughly 60 days. "Growing season" being defined as the number of days between the last freezing night of spring and the first freezing night of autumn.
As a consequence, the main crop grown locally is hay and alfalfa, fodder for livestock. Much is baled, the rest eaten where it grows by grazing cattle, enjoying the summer pasture. Agriculture hereabouts is like Switzerland, albeit less picturesque.
When we started summering here 30+ years ago there was a working cheese factory and many dairies supplying it, mostly gone now, replaced by cow-calf operations. The younger son of friends is making a career for himself in the "other" AI - artificial insemination of cattle. He is still in high school, got his start in 4-H.
If like most folks you can't afford to summer in the Alps, here is a reasonable facsimile, scenery and weather-wise. Plus you know the local language.
