The History of ‘Carl’s Glass Gems’ Native American Rainbow Corn

Cherokee rare corn farmer Carl Barnes spent years isolating Native American corn varieties to save a lost heritage, ultimately preserving his 'Glass Gems' corn seed.

By Greg Schoen
Updated on September 17, 2024
article image
by Adobestock/leopictures
Several ripe and colorful corn cobs lie next to each other against a gray background. The corn cobs have different colors.

Explore the history of ‘Carl’s Glass Gems’ a variety of Native American rainbow corn, how to grow rainbow corn, and other Native American corn varieties.

The beginnings of maize, or corn as it is commonly called, go back to the indigenous farmers of south central Mexico who worked with its ancestral grasses to bring forth a usable grain. Over thousands of years the Native peoples of the Americas adopted maize into their agricultural and ceremonial lifeways, and developed it into the diverse forms that we see today.

That little ear of corn with the translucent, jewel-colored kernels, whose picture has recently received attention around the world, has a story. And its kinfolk from a remarkably colorful gene pool share this story. Because of this exposure, I find it appropriate to personally share how this corn originated and its journey to this day. The original seed was obtained from Carl L. Barnes of Oklahoma.

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Reconnecting With a Lost Heritage Through Rare Corn

Carl is of half Cherokee, half Scotch-Irish ancestry and was born in the family’s original farmhouse about a half-mile from his current home. His father had moved the family west, where they acquired land and set up farming on the High Plains. Carl spent his childhood on this homestead, and the family lived through the 1930s Dust Bowl years, staying to survive the ordeal rather than leaving as many did at that time in our history.

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