A Pennsylvania teacher helped preserve a family pumpkin that might otherwise have disappeared, growing and stewarding the heirloom for nearly 40 years. Wayne Fortna became the caretaker of what is now known as the ‘Fortna White’ pumpkin, a distinctive cream-coloured squash traditionally used to make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. After serving as a tank commander under General George S. Patton during the Second World War, Fortna found comfort in gardening and continued growing the family variety for decades. After he died in 1990, his daughter helped save the seeds through the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum. Today, Seed Savers Exchange shares its seeds with gardeners.
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