Okay, so most of your know that I am a pretty big fan of saving and storing my own seeds. So, when Dawn in Georgia sent me the link to this article, I got all garden-giddy and decided to pass it on to all of you.
The article details how archeologists dug up a clay pot that they believe to be about 800 years ago. Not only were they pretty stoked about finding the artifact, but they were shocked to see what was in it. The little clay bowl held seeds, which they presumed had been buried for food-storage/seed-storage. While over that amount of time, the seeds surely had less than ideal conditions, some students in Winnipeg decided to plant them anyway. Well, surprise, surprise, they grew! The result? A type of formerly extinct squash. All it took was one little plant to produce, and voila–the squash will live on.
Growing food is rad. Especially if it is 800 year old squash–talk about an heirloom variety.
Thanks Dawn for sending in the article!
~Mavis
Peggy Sue says
That story may only be half right. I wanted better pictures but my google search brought up this instead. http://mennoworld.org/2015/11/23/feature/cmu-squashes-false-tale-with-story-of-growing-relations/
Deborah from FL says
That is so cool! And they’re huge!! (I wonder how they taste.)
It says a LOT about the benefits of proper seed storage. 🙂
mandy says
That is so interesting. I’ve been reading about seed banks lately. It’s a trip to me, I had no idea how important they are, but it makes sense.