🌽 The Origin Story of Wenwan Corn
The core and most renowned variety of wenwan corn goes by a glamorous name: Glass Gem Corn.
🧑🌾 Chapter 1: A Elder's Lifelong Guardian Mission
The protagonist of this story is Carl Barnes, a semi-retired farmer of Irish-Cherokee descent residing in Oklahoma, USA. A devoted lover of traditions, Barnes harbored an unwavering obsession: to seek out and revive the ancient corn varieties once cultivated by North America's Indigenous ancestors. These heirloom strains had all but vanished amid modern agriculture's relentless pursuit of high yields and uniformity.
Barnes scoured every possible source to collect ancient corn seeds, and year after year, he toiled in his fields—planting, crossbreeding, and selecting. Like a "corn shaman," he employed cross-pollination between different varieties, coaxing long-dormant ancient hues (purple, red, black, white) from the depths of the corn's genes to reemerge in vivid glory.
💎 Chapter 2: The Birth of "Gems"
After years of meticulous experimentation, Barnes achieved a breakthrough by crossbreeding two specific varieties: Pawnee Miniature Popcorn and Osage Red Flour Corn.
- A Miracle Unfolds: The offspring of this cross yielded something extraordinary. No longer confined to drab yellow or plain white, the kernels bloomed into a kaleidoscope of colors—translucent and radiant, like a cluster of colorful glass beads or precious gemstones.
- Naming the Wonder: Inspired by its breathtaking appearance, Barnes christened his creation "Glass Gem Corn"—the very variety we now know and cherish as the cornerstone of wenwan corn.
🌟 Chapter 3: Passing the Torch
- The Handover: In his later years, Barnes shared some of his precious Glass Gem Corn seeds with a kindred spirit—Greg Schoen, who was equally dedicated to preserving heirloom seeds.
- Spreading the Legacy: Around 2010, Schoen passed along some of these seeds to Native Seeds/SEARCH, a non-profit organization committed to safeguarding Indigenous agricultural heritage. From this pivotal point, the seeds began to take root in the fields of more small-scale farmers and gardening enthusiasts across the globe.
Why Is Ornamental Corn So Hard?
The secret lies in silicon, which accumulates in the seed coat—accounting for approximately 2.8% of its dry weight. This natural silicon layer acts like a tiny "glass casing" around each kernel.
[😆] While this makes it far too tough for eating, it's absolutely perfect for admiration and collection as wenwan!
