As you know we spent the month of October in Keystone, South Dakota. We met a lot of interesting people including a man named David who works with Native Americans. He had a wonderful story to tell us about a squash called Gete Okosomin.
The seeds of the Gete Okosomin were discovered in 2008 during an archeological dig on a Menominee reservation near Green Bay, Wis. The seeds were found in a clay ball, used for storing seeds. These squash seeds eventually were given to Winona LaDuke, a longtime advocate for native food sovereignty. She called the squash Gete-okosomin, an Anishinaabe word that roughly translates to “really cool old squash”. 
The White Earth Land Recovery Project grew fifty of them, and now have seeds to share with Native communities across the North Country. Now the squash is served to elders, children, and used for ceremonies at White Earth.
The vines of the squash can grown to over 25 feet long and the squash themselves can grow up to three feet long and 18 pounds.
David was given some of the seeds and had to opportunity to grow them himself.
He had brought one of his squash with him to Keystone. The squash was cooked up and shared one night. This pre-Colombian squash is delicious: hints of melon, terrific texture, and abundant flesh.
There was plenty for all to enjoy and the seeds were dried and shared with everyone who attended the Keystone Training.
Stories of seed savers are so interesting. I love hearing how certain varieties of seeds have been saved for hundreds of years. I am so honored to have been given some of these special seeds and will grow them carefully to preserve the purity of the seeds. I have only six seeds but I can’t wait to try growing them in our Vermont garden next year.
For those that are interested there is an update to this post HERE. As well as this article which was sent to me.
Nancy on the Home Front 
HI Nancy, I would love a few seeds. Please add my name to the list if there is still room. Will be happy to pay for postage and handling too.
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Please add me to the list if there is enough, would love to grow these. robert@xtechs.org
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While your first harvest might not bring enough seeds to get them to everyone on the list, I would still like to be added. I am patient and am willing to wait till the next harvest if there is a shortage of seeds. If you would be kind enough to add me to the list I will gratefully wait til you have enough to work with. Thanks.
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Would love to have some seeds to try to grow here in North Georgia. Please place me on the list if possible.
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Nancy-
I’d love to give these a try up here in Maine during our short growing season. Perhaps even greenhouse them, if needed. I’d be happy to share with my gardening friends as well! Postage is no problem. As a household of vegetarians, it’s great to diversify our diets.
Good luck on your harvest. Thanks for giving us all this opportunity.
Many positive vibes heading your way,
Ben
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My gosh what a fascinating story. So glad to have found your site as I followed up on the story of the seeds that a friend shared today on Facebook.
You list is growing and growing. Yikes! Thank goodness the Gete-okosomin is a hearty source of seeds. Please add me to the list and know that I will plant the seeds and share the story with children here in the greater DC area. I promise to also dry the seeds from my harvest and share them as you are doing. The library in Arlington VA has a wonderful garden they use to educate the community as well as several near by schools and our food bank for the poor has a garden too. It would be awesome to share my harvest seeds with them. Many if I have a great Gete-okosomin I will enter it in the VA State Fair and so doing continue to help educate.
Thank you Nancy!
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Hi Nancy,
This is such a wild find. My family and I eat quite a bit of squash in so many ways. The sound of the taste and texture is very interesting. If you have any seeds to spare, we would be very grateful to have any to grow in Florida, and would be more than glad to pay postage or whatever is reasonable.
Thanks!
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I am also interested in growing the Gete Okosomin in my garden next year! Please add me to your evergrowing list. Thank you!
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Hi nanacy,
These sound great. I would love to try them and spread them around in these parts (Scania, Sweden).
If you have any extra I can pay for shipping plus a bit extra.
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I don’t have any stomach issues, I’m not part of a tribe.
I am however a lover of unique plants.
Also, if you have ever heard of Tickle-Me-Elmo, I helped create the doll. 🙂
Check out my Web site.
I’d love to have one seed to try to grow. 🙂 I can send a PayPal payment. Let me know.
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Would love to grow and share these as well in South Alabama
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It would be an honor to receive even ONE of these seeds! Please add me to your list!
Thank you so much!
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can I be added to the list to buy these seeds???
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You are so generous sharing the seeds. I would love to get some for my parents. I am rather hopeless with gardening but my mom is a gardening genius and I would love to get a few seeds for her, if you have enough. She will be able to grow them and share them out as well. Every year she plants a full kitchen garden.
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Please add me to the Gete-okosomin seed list!!
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Please add me to the list. I can prepay, or or provide my UPS Account for freight collect. Thank you for sharing. I will certainly, plant, grow, harvest, & share!!
Gratefully, Mark
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Hello Nancy!
I would love to try to grow this squash in my garden.
Hanna B Kotka, Finland Europe
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Hi Nancy, I am intrigued and would also like to be on the list! I will definitely pay it forward! My best friend is a cherokee and I would love to grow some gete-okosomin squash for her! I will send postage and photos!!
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Hello of France
I am really surprised that these seeds is to remain productive aprés so much year. Shall be it an honor to grow this vegetable in my garden, against payment, good on. If you have 2/3 seeds, thank you for sliding them in an envelope. I will send you my adress if you accep
Thank a lot
Christian
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I have been so excited about this story! I would love to be put on your list for seeds!
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Hi! I am part of a small group in Memphis that is re-wilding, re-connecting to nature and the seasons, and honoring the Earth. We would love to be added to the seed list, if it is not too long! Of course, we can pay postage and a love donation.
Thank you!
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I don’t know how this variety would make out in north eastern Canada , but I would love to give it a try . I realize that your list has grown exponentially so I don’t mind waiting a year or so . If not , thanks anyway and best of luck .
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Hi Nancy,
I’d love to be added to the list for a few of these seeds as well! There are a ton of heartwarming comments already, so I’ll add one as well.
My wife and I recently adopted a teenager who grew up gardening with her biological father (part native American). Last summer, I built a vegetable garden and we spent the summer working on it together.
These seeds would be a fun surprise for her for next summer.
Thank you!
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If there’s any way to add me to the list, I would love the chance to grow these with my kids. My middle son especially loves gardening and had a couple of agriculture classes in high school. If it’s possible, what information would you need?
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What a wonderful story, like one of the other fellow commentators, we live in southern Ontario near
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What a wonderful story. Like the other commentators on this page, we would be interested in being put on the mailing list for when ever seed is available. We live in southern Ontario near Rouge Park which was the site of a Seneca village in the early 1700’s, my young daughters have a keen interest in native american culture and would be interested in trying to grown this very unique squash
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please add me to the list. thank you!
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If you are still willing to add a name to your list I would love to try and grow some of this squash in Wichita. If successful I would like to share seeds with our Indian Center.
Happy gardening and wishes for successful harvest, Phil in Wichita Kansas
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Hi Nancy
After reading this made me really want to grow something for the first time after 30 years.
I’d love to have some of seeds and take them with me to Thailand and growing them there with my mom, in her garden.
Thank you and sorry for my English.
Sekson
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I would love to grow this squash in my garden in Utah this spring and would happily pay for postage and the seeds. Squash is one of my favorites and I love the idea that Gete Okosomin is adding a little diversity back to the squash family. Great article, would love the opportunity to grow this Native American Squash.
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Nancy,
I am a half Apache medical student and my mother is full blood who grows all her own vegetables. She has a herb and vegetable garden that she shares with others and these type of squash would make her year. If you have time and can fit in the request I would be forever grateful. I work at Indian Health and will share our seeds with the local Natives as well to which I will let them know where they came from if you have any to spare.
Warm regards, Sam
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Hello,
I would be happy to purchase a few of these seeds from you if there is any availability left! Thank you so much for consideration. Rjhutchinson@gmail.com
Ryan
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Nancy,
I would consider it an amazing blessing to be added to your list. I would love to plant these seeds with my children in our garden next year as well as share some with my uncle and friend at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station. Thank you for your consideration.
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Could you please add me to the list for “the other” year? I would pay for them and would pay for transportation. I am a vegan with digestive problems and squashes are one of those things that I digest better. I would love to grow them for personal consumption. I would share with family and friends of course because it would be too much for me but I would love, love to have that opportunity! Thank You very much for sharing information and seeds! Blessings!
Muharrem
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Hi there,
I live close to Paris, France, have a great garden that I am designing for two years to create a real abundance while sharing my experiments around. I would be so glad to be on the list waiting for Gete Okosonim treasure seeds. I will transfer money for delivery costs to Europe. Having a look at this busy list makes me think that you should create a special page dedicated to selling those seed worldwide.
Regards
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Wonderful story, would love to be part of it. Please add me to the list 🙂
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I would to have the honor of receiving a few seeds to replant this squash. It’s an amazing accomplishment to revive this vegetable to today’s world.
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I love heir loom sqash of all kinds and would make them grow organically save the seed and spread the love!
Herb
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Hi
Please add me to your list of those who will receive seeds from that wonderful 800 + year old tasty aquash!
Sincerely
Andy
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I also would like to be added to the list for seeds
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I would like to get a few of the Gete-okosomin seeds to grow and help re-establish this ancient squash throughout our native lands here in North America please.
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I’m an organic grower in Wisconsin and would love to give these seeds a try.
Mike
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This is such a cool find! Please add me to your list of persons wishing to grow this squash and I am very patient if it takes a couple of seasons to produce enough seed. I live in CT and am willing to grow this squash in isolation and send you back seed if you like. Thanks for publishing this story!
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I would also like some seeds. Please add me to your list of persons wishing to grow this squash. I live in PA and would love to help this squash return from extinction!
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Hi Nancy
I too would love to grow this squash.
Thank you
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Hi Nancy,
Happy to hear about this story, can you please add me on the list ? I have a small garden where I like growing some old vegetables and I would be pleased to grow these seeds and test the result !!!
Jérome from France
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Jerome, Your name is on the list.
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Hi Nancy,
Really excited to here how your Gete-okosomin squash do. I would also be interested in getting on your list for a few of the seeds so I can try them here at the base of the Colorado Rockies. Thanks and happy growing.
Jester Martin
J.jester.martin@gmail.com
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Hi
If somebody can arrange seed shiping in Croatia, please contact me at daniel.pikl@gmail.com
thanks
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Nancy,
I would love a few seeds if possible. My scout troop would really enjoy growing these amazing squash.
Thanks,
Dave Snook
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Wonderful, just wonderful!
If there’s still room on your list, I’d be very happy for a very small number of seeds that you might be able to share at some point.
Thanks so much for the great story and for being willing to share the seeds around!!
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I live in Northwest Florida and would love to grow this vegetable. If possible, I would like to be added to your list. Thank you.
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