Life in a Fäbod During Winter – Self-Sufficiency, Firewood, and Stillness
The life of a fäbod (a traditional mountain pasture cabin) is often associated with summer — when animals grazed freely in the forest and people lived simply, close to nature.
The Winter Fäbod – Demanding Yet Rewarding
But what is it really like to spend the winter in a fäbod? It’s a way of living that is both challenging and deeply rewarding, shaped by snow, cold, and darkness.
Here’s an insight into how people once — and sometimes still — live in a fäbod during the cold months, relying on wood-fired heating, melting snow for water, and following a simple rhythm close to nature.
Fire – The Heart of the Winter Cabin
When the temperature drops below freezing, fire becomes the heart of the home. The wood stove or open fireplace is essential — not just for warmth, but for cooking and drying clothes.
Own Picture:
The woodpile must be prepared well before winter begins, or you risk freezing. Chopping, splitting, and stacking wood is hard work, but without it, the fäbod life in winter simply doesn’t function.
Water from Snow and Ice
Unlike summer, when water can be fetched from a spring or nearby stream, winter demands a different approach. Snow is melted on the stove, or a hole is cut through the ice on the nearest lake.
Every drop of water becomes the result of effort — which makes you value it far more than the effortless tap water of modern homes.
Food Storage and Household Management
Living in a fäbod during winter means planning carefully ahead. The pantry is filled with summer’s harvest — cheese, butter, dried fish, preserved berries, and root vegetables form the basis of winter meals.
Salted meat and smoked fish are also staples. The winter kitchen isn’t about abundance, but about making the most of what you have — simple, honest food made with care.
Animals in the Winter Fäbod
Historically, fäbodar were mostly used in summer. But there were always a few who stayed through winter.
That required sturdy shelters for the animals and plenty of hay. Goats, sheep, and cows provided both milk and warmth — but also demanded daily work, especially when the paths were covered in deep snow.
The animals became part of the household — constant companions through the long, quiet winter.
Darkness and the Slow Rhythm of Winter
Without electricity, darkness becomes tangible. Kerosene lamps, tallow candles, or wax lights illuminate the small cabin, and the evenings grow still.
People often go to bed earlier, read, talk quietly, or simply sit by the fire, listening to its crackle. Winter in a fäbod follows nature’s rhythm, where light and cold dictate the pace of life — something modern society rarely allows.
The Challenges of Winter Life
Living in a fäbod in winter is no easy task. The cold can be severe, the snow deep, and loneliness real.
Staying healthy, warm, and well-supplied takes planning, strength, and resilience. Yet within the hardship lies a reward — a closeness to nature and a deep sense of independence that many find priceless.
Why Choose the Fäbod Life in Winter?
Most people today only use their fäbod cabins in summer. But some still seek out the winter experience.
For some, it’s a lifestyle — a way to live simply, in tune with nature, free from modern distractions.
For others, it’s about stillness, solitude, or testing one’s limits.
Whatever the reason, the winter fäbod offers a perspective few other places can match.
Own Picture:
Related Articles
👉 From Stress to Stillness – My Journey
👉 When Normal Becomes Strange – My Thoughts
Personal Reflections
Reflection 1:
When I think about what it would be like to live in a fäbod during winter, I realize how much effort lies behind every simple act. Fetching water becomes a project. Keeping warm demands constant attention.
Yet perhaps that’s where the meaning lies — in not taking anything for granted.
Reflection 2:
I believe many of us would benefit from experiencing a winter like this — even just for a few days. The silence, the crackling fire, and the snow blanketing the world create a kind of presence that’s hard to find in modern life.
Conclusion – Living in a Fäbod in Winter
To live in a fäbod during winter is both a challenge and a reward. It’s a lifestyle that demands planning, endurance, and patience — but it gives something unique in return: stillness, simplicity, and a reminder of what truly matters.
The winter fäbod isn’t about comfort — it’s about finding strength in simplicity, and beauty in the bare essentials.
Petter Hansson är frilansskribent och digital nomad med hjärtat i Dalarna. Han har under många år rest, vandrat och deltagit i evenemang runt om i landskapet och delar här med sig av både egna upplevelser och faktagranskade tips. På Dalarna.nu vill han lyfta fram det bästa av regionens natur, kultur och historia – från små byar och dolda pärlor till stora festivaler och klassiska resmål.
