The Aporia · Pennsylvania teacher preserved his white pumpkin for nearly 40 years; gardeners now grow it too

Wayne Fortna, a Pennsylvania teacher who served as a tank commander under General George S. Patton during World War II, preserved his family’s unique cream-colored ‘Fortna White’ pumpkin for nearly 40 years after the war. After Fortna died in 1990, his daughter Sue Ellen Majer worked with the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum to save the seeds, ensuring the heirloom variety's survival. Seed Savers Exchange later introduced the pumpkin into its catalogue, making it available to gardeners today who can grow this distinctive squash, known for its mild flavor and baking qualities suitable for Thanksgiving pies.

Written by AI on 2026-09-18, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

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Wayne Fortna, a Pennsylvania teacher who served as a tank commander under General George S. Patton during the Second World War, became the caretaker of a rare cream-colored pumpkin known as the 'Fortna White' after his military service. He grew this family heirloom variety for nearly 40 years, helping to preserve it from extinction. After Fortna's death in 1990, his daughter Sue Ellen Majer helped save and distribute the seeds through the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum. The Seed Savers Exchange, an organization dedicated to preserving heirloom varieties of plants, later received these seeds and evaluated them before sharing them with gardeners worldwide. This preservation effort ensures that this unique pumpkin variety continues to be grown today for its cultural significance and culinary value, particularly in Thanksgiving traditions involving pumpkin pie.

Written for “White Pumpkin Preservation” on 2026-11-02, grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.

📰 White Pumpkin Preservation

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How did Seed Savers Exchange preserve the heirloom Seed Savers Exchange later received ‘Fortna White’ pumpkin seeds from Landis Valley and evaluated the variety through its Collection-to-Catalog pipeline.

framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-09-18

🔮 A Pennsylvania teacher helped preserve a family pumpkin that might otherwise have disappeared, growing and stewarding the heirloom for nearly 40 years.

2026-09-18 · Times of India

Pennsylvania teacher preserved his white pumpkin for nearly 40 years; gardeners now grow it too · assertive framing

A Pennsylvania teacher helped preserve a family pumpkin that might otherwise have disappeared, growing and stewarding the heirloom for nearly 40 years. uncertain

that → help → 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. asserted

what → become → 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. asserted

Fortna → serve → decades

After he died in 1990, his daughter helped save the seeds through the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum. asserted

daughter → die → Museum

Today, Seed Savers Exchange shares its seeds with gardeners. asserted

Exchange → share → gardeners

How did Wayne Fortna preserve the White pumpkin asserted

Fortna → preserve → pumpkin

According to the Seed Savers Exchange, before becoming known for preserving the family pumpkin, Fortna served during the Second World War as a tank commander under General George S. Patton. uncertain

Fortna → accord → Patton

He was a teacher, and he served during the war before returning to civilian life. asserted

he → serve → life

The organisation says that gardening later became an important source of comfort for him. asserted

gardening → say → him

According to his daughter, Sue Ellen Majer, gardening helped her father cope with the post-war effects of PTSD. uncertain

father → accord → PTSD

She said he found “solace in gardening”, adding that it calmed his nerves and helped reconnect him with nature and the soil. asserted

it → say → nature

His dedication to growing the family pumpkin therefore became more than simply maintaining a vegetable garden: it was also connected to a deeply personal part of his life after the war. asserted

it → grow → war

How did Fortna White reach gardeners Fortna continued stewarding the family heirloom for almost 40 years, ensuring its seeds could be planted again and that his family could continue enjoying pumpkin pie made from their own squash. uncertain

family → reach → squash

The tradition was closely tied to Thanksgiving, when the pumpkin became part of the family's dinner. asserted

pumpkin → tie → dinner

Its mild flavour and baking qualities made it especially well suited to pie. asserted

it → make → pie

After Fortna died in 1990, his daughter Sue Ellen sought help from the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to preserve the family's treasured seeds. asserted

daughter → die → seeds

The museum's Heirloom Seed Project has more than 50 volunteers who maintain a collection of historic Pennsylvania Dutch seeds, including the ‘Fortna White’ pumpkin. asserted

who → have → pumpkin

This intervention helped ensure that the variety survived beyond the Fortna family's own garden. asserted

variety → help → garden

Exchange → preserve → pipeline

The organisation ultimately decided that the squash was worth sharing more widely, introducing it as a featured “From the Collection” variety in its 2024 catalogue. asserted

squash → decide → catalogue

Today, gardeners can grow the same heirloom that Fortna carefully maintained for his family for decades. asserted

Fortna → grow → decades

Pennsylvania teacher preserved his white pumpkin for nearly 40 years; gardeners now grow it too

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