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Going Back to His Roots With Glass Gem Corn

Carl Barnes is a man who has made the corn that we eat become a viral sensation by producing a variety that is as multi-coloured as grandma’s quilt.  These fascinating creations are completely edible, and the seeds can be purchased online.  Growers can also post pictures of their creative corn to share with the rest of the world.




Now living in Oklahoma, Carl is half Cherokee and as a youngster, he wanted to explore his Native American roots and the traditions that they used to abide by, in particular, farming and harvesting seeds.  Many of his skills and knowledge were picked up from his grandfather, but Barnes also earned a degree in Agricultural Education, and at some point in his adult life he decided to try and reconnect once again with his heritage and bring back some of the older corn varieties.

Going Back to His Roots With Glass Gem Corn


Going Back to His Roots With Glass Gem Corn

While growing the older varieties of corn, Barnes was able to isolate some ancestral types that kept re-appearing and began replanting seeds from the, particularly colorful cobs.  As time went by, eventually, these cobs turned into beautiful, multi-coloured works of edible art.  The Glass Gem corn is a flint corn that is best used for things like cornmeal that require it to be ground down due to its hard exterior.  It also makes good popcorn but does not come out multi-coloured, unfortunately.

In 1994, Carl Barnes displayed some of his magnificent creations at a native plant gathering in Oklahoma.  It was here that Greg Schoen first came to discover the multi-coloured corn and later developed a working relationship with Barnes that soon turned into a friendship.  Schoen continues to plant the seeds, and there are now various strains with different color patterns.

Another person who wanted to promote the Glass Gem corn is the owner of Native Seeds/SEARCH, Bill McDorman who makes the seeds readily accessible to all online and a packet can be purchased for under $10!  Although the late Mr. Barnes is no longer with us, he can be assured that his marvelous creations are still be promoted and used throughout the world and will continue to do so for a long time.

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