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Family Farming70 almanaCgrowing Small economieSThe work of the Posamenter associa- tion, founded in 2012 with the aim of promoting heritage varieties of plums and plum products, is moving in this direction. The association represents the group of producers involved in the Tafeljura Plum Orchards Presidium and, since 2005, all the products made locally from the fruit of the tall trees are branded “Posamenter.”The association groups together small farms, cooperatives and local arti- sans. The real effort, however, comes from the farming families who tend the trees and pick and dry the fruit, all by hand: a lengthy, laborious pro- cess. The families collaborate togeth- er, with no sense of competition. For example, they share portable dryers,some owned and others rented, which are used in rotation depending on the year’s harvest. Yields are not stable; in some years the production can be very meager, which is why the Presidi- um does not have fixed suppliers. Generally the association transports the fruit and takes care of sales, though some farmers sell directly from their farm. The two local cooperatives process the fruit to make products like dried plums, chutney and cakes.And sales? Well, it seems as though a certain slice of the market is on their side. Demand for the product is growing slowly, thanks in part to regular purchases from local pas- try chefs and bakers who use these flavorful heritage plums in their des-