In October, when persimmons ripen, Parandzems day begins early. She is in the orchard by 8 a.m. From 6 to 8 p.m., she returns to the trees and the harvest. During the harvest and dried fruit preparation season, her work sometimes continues until 3 a.m. However, the orchard is not her first task of the day. She starts by tending to the animals. If there are orders for farm produce, she prepares them and arranges for delivery. Only then does she turn to the orchard. Photo: Mediamax According to Parandzem, October marks the beginning of one of the most critical periods of the year: the persimmon harvest. The time has come to harvest the crop, regardless of whether it is sunny, rainy or foggy, she said. Parandzem Adamyan lives in Getahovit, near Ijevan. A physicist and botanist by profession, she graduated from the Faculty of Natural Sciences at the Ijevan branch of Yerevan State University. She has always connected her dreams and goals with Tavush and her native village. Photo: Mediamax I used to dream of having a large, magnificent house and a garden. There isnt a single plant, fruit, vegetable or type of greenery that I dont absolutely love, noted Parandzem. After they got married, Parandzems husband bought a large garden and a plot of land. She recalls that even then, she was already planning what their future house and yard would look like. I remember when we bought the land. I would go out with a paper and pencil and sketch out a design. My husband and I would argue about it, but in the end, we always did things my way, she said with a laugh. Everything had its place in the drawing: the flower garden, the oven, the swimming pool and the house. Parandzem still keeps that plan to this day. Photo: Mediamax In 2008, they began considering which trees to plant in the orchard that would eventually become the foundation of their family business. At first, we grew black plums. We realized they were impossible to sell on the local market. At that time, we hadnt yet considered making dried fruit. We wondered, What could we do in Ijevan to support our family and build our dream home? she recalled. They chose persimmons. They took out a loan and expanded their livestock holdings so that the additional income could help them improve the orchard. Today, they grow not only fruit trees but also ornamental plants, including spherical and conical boxwoods, as well as spruce trees. Parandzem AdamyanPhoto: Mediamax The early years werent easy. The trees were drying up, and we didnt understand why. The Tavush Regional Administration had invited a group of specialists from England to train orchardists, so I went with my son and attended the courses. My son was 13 at the time. We took part in the training for a month, and afterwards, we brought together orchardists from across Tavush in our orchard and experimented with pruning the trees, Parandzem recalled. Years of experience have also changed their approach to orchard care. Initially, they pruned the persimmon trees in spring, but later realized that autumn pruning was more effective, allowing them to remove excess branches while preserving those that bear fruit. Parandzem AdamyanPhoto: Mediamax Proper pruning is crucial for persimmon trees. There are various pruning methods: cross-shaped, triangular and circular. When we began pruning in autumn, the results were immediately apparent. Previously, a single persimmon weighed 100-120 grams, whereas now it weighs 300-350 grams. Their appearance and quality have changed completely, too, Parandzem said. However, work in the orchard is not limited to the persimmon season. Until October, they prepare dried black plums, followed by figs, peaches, hazelnuts and walnuts. The tree-pruning season begins in November, while the persimmon harvest and the production of dried persimmons mark the busiest period of the year. Later, Parandzem and her husband attended another training course to learn how to produce dried fruit. For the past three years, they have been making dried fruit in a workshop attached to their home. Parandzem Adamyan with husbandPhoto: Mediamax Producing dried fruit was a major challenge. The climate in Tavush is humid; for example, we dont get the same kind of sunshine here as they do in Syunik. It takes 15 days to produce dried persimmons. During that time, specific techniques must be used to massage, hang and peel the fruit, she said. Over the years, they have refined their skills and set a goal of launching their own brand and bringing their products to market under that name. Until now, they have been selling their dried fruit in bulk to shops and supermarkets. Photo: Mediamax For Parandzem, the orchard is more than just a business. It is an integral part of her daily work, family life and the life she has chosen for herself. She notes that in their family, tasks have never been divided into womens work and mens work. Ive climbed trees to harvest the fruit. People would warn me, You might fall, but Id reply, Well, who else is going to harvest the produce from my own land? In the village, there is sometimes a notion that weeding isnt a mans job, yet my husband wont let me do it. On the contrary, he says, Youll ruin your nails let me do it instead, she said with a laugh. Parandzem does not dwell on the difficulties: They happen every year. Last year, pollination was poor, and the crop was of low quality. We practically had to pick the fruit from each tree one by one to determine which ones were good enough to make into dried fruit. Producing something while battling the elements is quite a challenge. Photo: Mediamax Parandzem also believes that the market poses particular challenges for women engaged in agribusiness. A woman needs immense, boundless patience because a businesswoman gets pulled in every direction I speak from my own experience. The moment people hear that a woman is running a business, they ask, What is she going to do? What kind of product could she possibly produce? For Parandzem, perseverance is one of the most important qualities on this journey: If you set a goal, persevere and dont give up halfway and have people who support and encourage you you will succeed. In my case, that person is my husband. He gives me strength, even with just a single word. When the harvest was poor and there was no income, my husband would say, Its alright. Lets just consider this a year that didnt work out well build it up again. Photo: Mediamax For the past five years, Parandzem has been living the life and enjoying the surroundings she had always dreamed of. Yet the orchard is not her only occupation: another workday begins at 9 a.m. When a vacancy for an accountant opened up in the community, she decided to learn a new profession. She attended courses and training sessions and obtained a professional qualification. Within three years, I had become the accountant the organization needed and the professional I had aspired to be, Parandzem said. Parandzem AdamyanPhoto: Mediamax As for the future of her agricultural business, Parandzem has a clear ambition: to introduce her products to the world and become a role model, particularly for women living in rural areas: It may sound ambitious, but I dream of becoming a woman producer who presents her work to the world. That is what I strive for. I, too, have learned from others. I traveled to Syunik to see how dried persimmons are made there. Along the way, I have experimented, improvised and drawn inspiration from others. Perhaps other women, especially those living in villages, will look at my example and realize that they, too, can do it. This publication/video is produced in the framework of the Lifelong Education and Advancement Program for Women project, funded by the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), and implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Its content is the sole responsibility of Mediamax and does not necessarily reflect the views of AGFUND or UNFPA. Arpi Jilavyan Photos by Davit Ghahramanyan Video by Gaiane Yenokian