Glass Gem is a corn variety that has captured people’s attention with its striking and vibrant rainbow colors. Its intriguing origin story only adds to its charm, making it even more appealing.
The history of Glass Gem corn can be traced back to Carl Barnes, a farmer from Oklahoma who was interested in his Native American roots. He decided to cultivate older corn varieties, using his talent for corn breeding to carefully select and save seeds from cobs that displayed bright, clear colors. The result was the stunning, multicolored corn known as Glass Gem. The story of Barnes’ creation was shared with the world in 2012 by his apprentice, Greg Schoen, and has since become widely known and appreciated.
Barnes achieved an amazing feat by dedicating his efforts to preserving older strains of corn. He was able to rediscover ancestral varieties that had been lost to Native American tribes who were compelled to move to Oklahoma during the 1800s. Thanks to this achievement, Barnes made friends with people from all over the country by exchanging ancient corn seeds.
It’s unclear how long the farmer devoted to cultivating, conserving, and replanting the special seeds that ultimately yielded an exceptional type of corn that has now become famous all over the world. Despite the lack of knowledge about the exact period of his endeavors, the farmer’s perseverance eventually paid off after years of hard work.
In 1994, during a Native plant gathering in Oklahoma, another farmer named Greg Schoen had the opportunity to meet Barnes and was captivated by the stunning display of multicolored corn. The following year, Barnes generously shared some of his prized rainbow seeds with Schoen who sowed them that summer, marking the beginning of their partnership.
Schoen and Barnes had a great bond that lasted for years. Schoen was lucky to acquire additional rainbow seeds as time went by. When he relocated to New Mexico in 1999, he began growing small quantities of the colorful corn.
Back in 2005, Schoen made a bold decision to expand his farming efforts and set aside larger plots of land near Santa Fe solely for growing rainbow corn, along with the more typical types he had already been cultivating. As the rainbow corn intermingled with its traditional counterparts, it gave birth to entirely novel breeds. With each new harvest, the maize exhibited even more vibrant colors and intricate patterns, which is a testament to Barnes’ exceptional efforts in preserving and fostering the plant’s genetic diversity over time.
Schoen embraced the task of inventing distinctive labels for the various shades and motifs displayed by the vibrant corn. His imaginative prowess resulted in appellations like “circus colors,” “true rainbow,” and “deep blue,” among numerous others. These titles accurately encapsulated the diverse array of tones and patterns that embellished this exceptional corn variety.
Schoen spent a great deal of time pondering before giving his unusual corn hybrid the name “Glass Gems”. The mesmerizing combination of blue-green and pink-purple hues on the ears of corn immediately caught the eye of onlookers back in 2007. This peculiar type of corn was thrust into the limelight after a photo of it went viral in 2012, captivating internet users far and wide.
After years of meticulous curation, the Glass Gem corn has blossomed into a breathtaking and impeccable strain that flaunts a lively spectrum of hues.
