11 Extra Chestnut cultivation in the Bergell Chestnut wood («castagneto») in the Val Bregaglia. Chestnuts have been an important source of food in Southern Grisons for centuries. Chestnut woods are considered sites of cultural heritage of considerable economic and agricultural value.Photo: Bregaglia Engadin Turismo + Chestnut harvest in Castasegna. In autumn the ripe fruits in their prickly skins tumble to the ground and are collected. One single tree may carry between 50 and 100 kg of fruits.Photo: Max Weiss + Chestnuts in a so-called «marroni pan». Chestnut festivals are held in numerous villages in the autumn where chestnuts and chestnut by-products are sold and consumed in various forms such as roasted marroni.Photo: Bregaglia Engadin Turismo + Drying huts (cascine) in the Val Bregaglia. The harvested chestnuts are dried in special huts and conserved for keeping or further processing.Photo: Bregaglia Engadin Turismo + Chestnut bashing in Castasegna. Bashing the chestnuts in cloth bags frees the fruits from their skins.Photo: Max Weiss + Shaking chestnuts in the «vann». Shaking the chestnuts in special baskets removes the last bits of their skins.Photo: Max Weiss + Sieving. The dried chestnuts are sieved. They can now be ground to flour and used to make pasta or bread.Photo: Max Weiss +