A New Zealand couple stumbles upon a tuber that could set a Guinness record for the heaviest potato. The current record for the heaviest potato is a 2011 monster from Britain that weighed 4.98 kg (nearly 11 pounds).
When an elderly couple, Colin and Donna Craig-Brown, came upon an odd-looking thing in their garden in New Zealand, they were in for the biggest surprise of their lives, an AP report
They had little idea they would chance upon something that could set a new Guinness World Record (GWR): They were busy weeding in their garden, when their farming tool struck something huge just beneath the soil’s surface – a super huge potato. Now a photo of the nearly 8 kg root vegetable, named Doug, is making its presence felt on the internet.
Donna and Colin have named the potato Doug, because they dug it up.
“We couldn’t believe it. It was just huge,” Donna told Associated Press about their surprise find.
But Donna isn’t too happy about its ugly, mutant look. They carried it to their garage, amazed to learn that it weighed 7.9 kilograms (17.4 pounds).
The family from Waikato say they are not sure how long it has taken to reach such a great size, but they last planted spuds on that spot two or three years ago, so they suspect the monster tuber has probably been growing there since.
Donna and Colin Craig-Browns have dubbed the potato Doug, because they dug it up.
Donna and Colin have named the potato Doug, because they dug it up. “We couldn’t believe it. It was just huge,” Donna told Associated Press about their surprise find.
“We couldn’t believe it. It was just huge,” Donna says. She, however, wasn’t happy about its “ugly, mutant look.” They carried it into their garage and were amazed to learn that it weighed 7.9 kilograms (17.4 pounds),
However, the farm owners soon got over its ugly look.
Doug has now turned into a local celebrity. “We put him on Facebook, taking him for a walk, giving him some sunshine,” the man said.
The couple have now approached the Guinness Book of World Records. Although they have completed the official procedures for the record, including a certificate to prove it’s indeed a potato, the couple is worried it may perish before GWR officials inspect it.
Colin says Doug has experienced a bit of shrinkage since his official measure. “He’s lost almost a kg with evaporation and is starting to smell like sardines,” the man informed. So, for the time being, to preserve their rare find, they have put him in the freezer.
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