Glass Gem Corn Shines On The Cobb

2013 - Volume #37, Issue #1, Page #06

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Interested in planting something totally new and different in your garden this summer? You might want to try Glass Gem corn.

    “Glass Gem corn has gotten worldwide publicity because of its beauty,” says Bill McDorman, executive director for Native Seeds/SEARCH in Tucson, Ariz., noting that it’s a flint corn. That means it’s suitable for popping. However, there’s more interest in it for decoration.

    For about 20 years, Carl Barnes, an Oklahoma farmer selectively saved seed with vivid, translucent colors to develop the variety. His seed was eventually passed on to McDorman at Native Seeds/SEARCH. Now Glass Gem, a 90-day corn, is available for $5.95 for about 100 seeds. But getting it might not be easy. At the end of 2012, there were 2,000 people from all over the world on the waiting list for the seed.

    It’s an open-pollinated variety, which means seeds can be saved from year to year.

    “At our seed bank we have over 500 varieties of corn and more than 2,000 varieties of other crops adapted to the Southwest,” McDorman says. The organization believes diverse and traditionally developed varieties are important for future food security.

    He points to an example in the late 1980’s when a stem-eating fungus broke out in commercial sunflower crops, and a search was started to breed in a variety resistant to that fungus.

    “They found a resistant variety in our collection that came from Native Americans in the Grand Canyon, and that was bred into the sunflowers,” McDorman says.

    Statistically, 96 percent of seed varieties that existed in 1903 are no longer available, McDorman says.

    Check out the Native Seeds/SEARCH website for more seeds and for information about upcoming Seed School events in various parts of the U.S.

    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Bill McDorman, 3584 E. River Rd., Tucson, Ariz. 85718 (ph 520 622-0830, ext. 100; www.nativeseeds.org).

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Glass Gem Corn Shines On The Cobb CROPS New Crops Interested in planting something totally new and different in your garden this summer? You might want to try Glass Gem corn
    “Glass Gem corn has gotten worldwide publicity because of its beauty ” says Bill McDorman executive director for Native Seeds/SEARCH in Tucson Ariz noting that it’s a flint corn That means it’s suitable for popping However there’s more interest in it for decoration
    For about 20 years Carl Barnes an Oklahoma farmer selectively saved seed with vivid translucent colors to develop the variety His seed was eventually passed on to McDorman at Native Seeds/SEARCH Now Glass Gem a 90-day corn is available for $5 95 for about 100 seeds But getting it might not be easy At the end of 2012 there were 2 000 people from all over the world on the waiting list for the seed
    It’s an open-pollinated variety which means seeds can be saved from year to year
    “At our seed bank we have over 500 varieties of corn and more than 2 000 varieties of other crops adapted to the Southwest ” McDorman says The organization believes diverse and traditionally developed varieties are important for future food security
    He points to an example in the late 1980’s when a stem-eating fungus broke out in commercial sunflower crops and a search was started to breed in a variety resistant to that fungus
    “They found a resistant variety in our collection that came from Native Americans in the Grand Canyon and that was bred into the sunflowers ” McDorman says
    Statistically 96 percent of seed varieties that existed in 1903 are no longer available McDorman says
    Check out the Native Seeds/SEARCH website for more seeds and for information about upcoming Seed School events in various parts of the U S
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Bill McDorman 3584 E River Rd Tucson Ariz 85718 ph 520 622-0830 ext 100; www nativeseeds org

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