一般玉米已经不稀奇了，拿出「宝石玉米」出来啃才够厉害！

2012年时，第一张彩色玉米照在脸书上出现时，掀起一阵购买「宝石玉米」(Glass Gen Corn) 的旋风。但看过吃过甚至种过这些玉米之外，你知道宝石玉米背后的故事吗？ Greg Schoen 刚开始，一名奥克拉荷马州农夫Carl Barnes，身为半个查拉几族土人，因为想要拉近自己与原

May 17, 2015

編輯：Anne

艺术, 美食, 世界

2012年时，第一张彩色玉米照在脸书上出现时，掀起一阵购买「宝石玉米」(Glass Gen Corn) 的旋风。但看过吃过甚至种过这些玉米之外，你知道宝石玉米背后的故事吗？

The story of Glass Gem corn begins with an Oklahoma farmer named Carl Barnes. Barnes, now in his 80s, is half-Cherokee. He began growing older corn varieties in his adult years (no one is exactly sure when this began) as a way to reconnect with his heritage.

Greg Schoen

刚开始，一名奥克拉荷马州农夫Carl Barnes，身为半个查拉几族土人，因为想要拉近自己与原住民血统的归属感就开始种植古老的玉米种子，各式各样的都种呢！

借由种植多种类古老玉米，Carl竟找到了1800年代美国原住民部落迁移到现在的奥克拉荷马州过程中遗失的远祖玉米种类。这也开启了他与全国各地的人交换古老种子的历程，途中遇到的也全都变成了他的朋友呢！

Greg Schoen

廣告1

同时，Carl自己也开始蒐集、储藏与重新栽种那些颜色比较特别的玉米。

At the same time, Barnes began selecting, saving, and replanting seeds from particularly colorful cobs.

Greg Schoen

过了一段时间，这种迷幻的彩虹玉米就此被培养出来！

Over time, this resulted in rainbow-colored corn.

Greg Schoen

廣告2

1994年，同为农夫的Greg Schoen在一场原始植物博览会上遇到Carl。当时，Carl在博览会上展示了自己的彩虹玉米，Greg一看到马上就深受吸引，非常震惊！

A fellow farmer, Greg Schoen, met Barnes in 1994 at a native-plant gathering in Oklahoma. Barnes had his rainbow-colored corn on display. Schoen was blown away.

Greg Schoen

廣告3

接下来的那一年，Carl就给了Greg一些彩虹种子，Greg就在那年夏天开始栽种。

That following year, Barnes gave Schoen some of the rainbow seed. Schoen planted the first seeds that summer.

Greg Schoen

Carl与Greg因为一直以来感情越来越好，Carl就把越来越多的种子样本拿给Greg。

Schoen and Barnes remained close friends, and over the years, Schoen received more samples of the rainbow seed.

Greg Schoen

刚开始于1999年，Greg只有在新墨西哥州种植少量的彩色玉米。

In the beginning, Schoen only grew small amounts of the colorful corn in New Mexico, where he moved in 1999.

Greg Schoen

到了2005年，Greg就开始在圣大菲附近扩大种植面积，把更多元的传统种类也加种在这块土地上。

In 2005, Schoen began growing larger plots of the rainbow corn near Sante Fe, alongside more traditional varieties.

Greg Schoen

当彩虹玉米与传统种类混合，每年杂交下来就呈现出越来越多的颜色组合与排列模式。

When the rainbow corn mixed with the traditional varieties it created new strains. Each year of successive planting, the corn displayed more vibrant colors and vivid patterns.

Greg Schoen

根据Greg说法，Carl跟他说彩虹种子是波尼族人迷你玉米花、奥塞奇人的红色玉米还有一种叫做「Greyhorse」的玉米种子进行杂交而成的结晶。

According to an account from Schoen, Barnes told him that the rainbow seed originally came from a crossing of "Pawnee miniature popcorns with an Osage red flour corn and also another Osage corn called ‘Greyhorse.’"

Greg Schoen

Greg自己就开始帮这些奇异颜色的各个玉米命名，从「马戏团颜色」、「真实彩虹」、「深蓝色」都有呢！

Schoen took to naming the various colors and patterns that emerged — "circus colors," "true rainbow," "deep blue," and so on.

Greg Schoen

到了2007年，长出这种蓝绿色、粉紫色交杂的玉米就命名为「宝石玉米」，这就是2012当年走红的脸书照。

"Glass Gems," seen here, was the title that Schoen came up with for a blue-green and pink-purple corn he grew in 2007. This is the original picture that went viral in 2012, turning the unique-colored corn into an Internet sensation.

Greg Schoen

到了2009年，Greg又把许多彩虹玉米种子拿给拥有种子公司的Bill McDorman。

In 2009, Schoen passed on several varieties of the rainbow seed to Bill McDorman, who owned an Arizona seed company called Seed Trust.

Greg Schoen

Bill就成了非营利种子保育组织Native Seeds/SEARCH的主导人。他把宝石玉米种子带到组织后，现在大家都可以在网路上购买呢！

McDorman is now the Executive Director of Native Seeds/SEARCH, a non-profit conservation organization. He brought the Glass Gem seeds with him, and they can now be purchased online.

Greg Schoen

廣告4

Schoen, who is not affiliated with the company, is still living in New Mexico and working on the corn, according to Stephen Thomas, development assistant at Native Seeds/SEARCH.

Greg Schoen

在官网上，一包种子可以7.95美元 (约新台币241.8元)，背部也有种植指示可以遵照。

On the Native Seeds/SEARCH website, one packet of seeds can be purchased for $7.95. Directions are provided on the back of the packet.

Native Seeds/SEARCH

要注意的是，玉米一般不喜欢冰霜，但只要天气温暖、充满阳光之处就会长得好！至于种子，通常都在最后一次结霜时期结束后的晚春时节就能栽种了！

Corn doesn't like frost, but will grow anywhere the weather is warm and there is full sun. Seeds are generally planted after the last frost date in late spring.

Greg Schoen

种子要种2-3公分深，每个种子以15公分的间距种上至少3排 (别全部种于同一排) ，这样才容易授粉，越种越成功。

Seeds are planted 1 inch deep and around 6 inches apart in blocks of at least three rows (rather than a single long row) for good pollination.

Greg Schoen

廣告

每一包都有大约50颗种子，一条茎上大约可以长出2-3根玉米，所以一包全部种出来都可以收成100-150根玉米。

Each packet has approximately 50 seeds. Around two to three ears per stalk grow on each stalk, so growers can expect around 100 to 150 ears of corn per packet of seed, according to Thomas.

Greg Schoen

所以，这种玉米吃起来到底是什么味道呢？

So what does it taste like?

Greg Schoen

与一般黄色玉米不大一样的是，宝石玉米通常不会直接从玉米芯上啃下来吃。

Unlike sweet corn, Glass Gem corn isn't generally eaten off the cob.

Greg Schoen

宝石玉米除了因为亮眼颜色而命名，同时也因为外面那一层坚硬的外壳为名。

Glass Gem is known as flint corn. The name "flint" comes from the kernel's hard outer-layer.

Greg Schoen

大多数人都会把宝石玉米磨成粉跟玉米粉一起搅拌，做成玉米饼或是玉米粥，因为它的淀粉含量很高。

Most people grind it up into cornmeal and use it in tortillas or grits because it's very starchy.

Greg Schoen

廣告

当然，它也可以拿来爆一爆，不过别期望出现彩虹爆米花就是了！

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Glass Gem Facebook Page

当然，最棒的是，它们可以拿来当美丽的装饰品！

And for obvious reasons, Glass Gem corn is great for ornamental purposes.

Greg Schoen

For the most part, gardeners will be completely surprised by the colors of their corn.

Greg Schoen

廣告

种植的人都会很有新鲜感，感觉颜色很美的也可以把种子留下来，自己试试培养出同样的颜色！

However, people can try to grow certain colors by saving seeds from corns that exhibit the desired features and replanting those.

Greg Schoen

For example, if you wanted mostly lavender-kerneled corn, it would be possible to save and replant seed from purple corns.

Greg Schoen

The Glass Gem Facebook page is filled with photos from people who have planted and harvested their own Glass Gem corn.

Greg Schoen

除了脸书Glass Gem Facebook Page上，贴满了宝石玉米的照片，还有人在网路上直接种给你看呢！

廣告

来源：BusinessInsider

这些玉米是不是很可爱呢？长得这么有趣可爱的玉米，快跟亲朋好友分享吧，下次如果在夜市看到有人拿来卖，就见怪不怪了！

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