Ancient Seed Follow Up: Gete-okosomin

Posted bynancyonthehomefrontPosted inGardeningTags:,
the perks of seed saving, finding gete okosomin seeds

You may remember the post I wrote on the ancient seeds of the Gete-okosomin I was given in October. I was told the seeds were found in a dig in Wisconsin and the seeds found in the dig date back 850 years!Gete okosomin seeds

The story was that the seeds were originally found on the Menominee Reservation near Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 2008, and have slowly been shared with different gardeners in Canada and the US, thanks to seed keepers at White Earth Land Recovery Project in Minnesota. It was the recovery project’s founder, Winona LaDuke, who gave the squash its contemporary name, “really cool old squash”.Gete okosomin

The seeds have been distributed to native communities and to others, including me! I can’t wait to try growing this squash in my garden later this year.Gete-okosomin

Following my post I read another article which stated the following:

“Following the reporting of the above story, which received worldwide press coverage, Kenton Lobe, an environmental studies professor at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, Manitoba, has come forward to say that there are inaccuracies in the international press coverage of the story. The Indian Country Today Media Network reports that while the origins of the squash seeds are indeed ancient in that they have been grown for some 5,000 years, there is no evidence to suggest the seeds had been found in an 800-year-old pot. Rather, it appears that indigenous people belonging to the Miami Nation of Indiana have been growing and preserving the seeds right up until the modern day, taking great care to hand-pollinate them and retain the purity of the species.  We apologize for this inaccuracy. “  Mark Miller AncientOrigina.net

Regardless of whether or not the seeds were found in a clay pot does not matter to me. I am thrilled to have been given ten seeds of this wonderful heirloom squash to grow in my garden. As the seeds were given to me and are not available commercially at this time I will gladly share any extra seeds I have after harvest. The seeds should be available in the fall of 2016.Gete okosomin

I have had an incredible number of requests for these seeds from all over the world and am keeping careful track of everyone that has contacted me. When I successfully grow this squash and have seeds to share I will be contacting all those who have gotten in touch with me. (hopefully in the fall)

Until then have fun in your gardens! What heirloom seeds will you be growing this year?

Gete okosomin
Gete okosomin

61 thoughts on “Ancient Seed Follow Up: Gete-okosomin”

  2. Hi Nancy, I would love to try to raise this squash. I try to do at least one different vegetable in our garden every year. If you have any available, I would love to try. Could you take pictures of your plants along the way so that we could watch the progress? Thank you.

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  5. Hi I am so interested in the seeds you have, so curious to watch, and get updates! Really cool if and when you have seeds available I’d love some to grow this heirloom squash! I also want to say I love your blog, recipes, suggestions, ideas, etc! I am going to make the neosporin as soon as I get ingredients together. Hey that is not cheap when you buy this may be better! Thanks so much! Happy Homesteading!!!

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    1. Tina,
      I will be glad to add your name to my ever growing list! Thankfully these squash are her large and have many seeds per squash!

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  6. That is so cool! What a connection to history. I can’t wait to keep up with this adventure. I would say send some to me in the fall, but I’m afraid I would kill them. I’ll wait until there is a good supply. 🙂 Thanks for sharing on the Homestead Blog Hop!

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  7. Please add me to the list. My son and I would love to grow this very cool squash. We would be happy to take pictures through the process here in Alaska

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  9. I would love to have a couple of the seeds if you have any to spare. I will happily trade you some of my butter bean seeds I’ve been saving since 1984. Thank you for considering my request.
    Ed

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  10. I would love to get some seeds. I belong to a club that supports a shelter for women and children. The shelter/transition house has a large area to garden so it helps cost of food needed for the people staying there. My club teaches a gardening class each year for the shelter to show people how to garden. this shelter also has programs to help the local community.

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  13. Fantastic. I am very much concerned about the current state of the world’s food. Too many GMO’s and chemicals. I realize you have tons of requests, but should you have enough seeds to share at some point I would be thrilled to be added to your list. Thank you!

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  15. While doing research on my 7th great grandmother Catherine Anenotha I came across this article. Catherine was a Amerindian from Canada that lived during the Beaver Wars. Catherine was born in 1649. Since my family grew the three sisters together I would love to have some of the seeds for my garden.

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  16. I have always had an affinity for plants with an interesting history and would love to be put on your list for seeds and trying my had on growing them down here in the South.

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  17. I am sure you have been overloaded with requests for these seeds. I too would love to get some. I grow a great variety of rare native seeds on my farm in Norway and am a member of the Norwegian Seed Savers. Please do let me know if there is a chance of getting seeds in the fall. I would be more than willing to exchange for some of the rare seeds that I have saved.

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  19. Hello, I too am interested in having some seeds. I realize you have many requests but would be very grateful to have these seeds! Thank you in advance for your consideration.

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  21. If there are any seeds left, I’d love to be added to the list. I run a beyond organic CSA in New England, and would LOVE to add these to our crops for next year.

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  24. Hi, I am a life sciences student that just came across your blog after learning about this amazing plant. Growing it would be so much fun, and I would love to share it with my fellow agriculturalists. Are you still adding to the seed list?

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    1. Belinda,
      I’d be glad to add your name to my list, hopefully next year I will have seeds to share. I only got about 100 seeds this year. Apparently Rare Seeds.com will be carrying these seeds in their catalogue this year!

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  26. Hi Nancy! Can you put me on your seed list? This is such a great and interesting story, you must be having some fun with this project! Good luck!

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  27. Hi Nancy, as I am freezing this years moregold squash I would like to try some of your Indian squash seeds. We are organic gardners and have honey bees to
    help with pollination. Please add us to your list. Thank you!
    Lillian

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  28. Hi, I would like to be added to your list and will be happy to share what i raise. Thank you very much. Im from the Blackforrest in Germany 🙂

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  29. Read the article on this squash a few months ago. Mentioned it our Community Ctr. Am a Senior. Would love 2 try. Know you have many request. Could send U a postage paid envelope if U have any 2 spare.

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  30. Would you please add me to your list of people who would like the squash seed. What a beautiful squash. Would be interesting to see how it grows in different parts of the country. My guess is that it would do good in Camp Verde AZ. Thank you for considering me!

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  31. Hi. My name is Tanya Breton and I was wondering if you could put me on that list too. I would really like to plant them with my girls down here in Florida.

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