The Civitas Foundation ran a regional, community-based economic development plan in the villages of Udvarhely Seat from 2009 to 2011, while it got a grant from Norway grants. The purpose of this initiative was to support farmers and small producers, provide assistance in making their communities more sustainable and provide local livelihoods by taking care of traditional orchards and by making fruit-based products.
Szekler Fruits is a small company which values the manual work of the Udvarhely region‘s farmers, supports the protection of natural variety and guarantees the quality and variety of fruit-based products. Jams, syrups and juices are made from traditional Szekler fruits and wild fruits based on traditional recipes.
Local fruit producers can sell their products to the company or let it process them into jams and syrups for a fixed price per volume unit.
The following products are made at this company:
The premises looked squeaky clean with modern machinery, like keeping berries whole in a chamber, then turning them into jam by letting them be surrounded by boiling water in an adjacent chamber.
Of course, there was no activity due to that they start working in August and we arrived in June.
As shown on this page, a fruit festival is arranged annually in this area where locals sell jams, syrups, juices, dried fruits, etc. There is a competition for making the most delicious plum pie and another one for making the most tasty jam.
On our way to this company, it was common to see locals harvesting hay between fruit trees in early summer for feeding their animals in winter.
