1 of 6
Donna Craig-Brown holds a large potato dug from her garden at her home near Hamilton, New Zealand Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. A New Zealand couple dug up a potato the size of a small dog in their backyard and have applied for recognition from Guinness World Records. They say it weighed in at 7.9 kilograms (17 pounds), well above the current record of just under 5 kg. They've named the potato Doug, because they dug it up. (Colin Craig-Brown via AP)
1 of 6
Donna Craig-Brown holds a large potato dug from her garden at her home near Hamilton, New Zealand Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. A New Zealand couple dug up a potato the size of a small dog in their backyard and have applied for recognition from Guinness World Records. They say it weighed in at 7.9 kilograms (17 pounds), well above the current record of just under 5 kg. They've named the potato Doug, because they dug it up. (Colin Craig-Brown via AP)
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Colin and Donna Craig-Brown were weeding their garden in New Zealand when Colins hoe struck something huge just beneath the soils surface.
As the couple knelt down and began digging around the object, Colin wondered if it was some kind of strange fungal growth, a giant puffball. After Colin pried it out with his garden fork, he scratched away a bit of the skin and tasted it.
A potato.
We couldnt believe it, Donna said. It was just huge.
And not exactly pretty. Donna describes its appearance as more of an ugly, mutant look.
But its quite possibly the largest potato on record. When the couple lugged it into their garage and put it on their old set of scales, it weighed in at a remarkable 7.9 kilograms (17.4 pounds). Thats equal to a couple of sacks of regular potatoes, or one small dog.
In the weeks since their unusual find on Aug. 30, the couples potato has become something of a celebrity around their small farm near Hamilton. Theyve named the potato Doug, after the way it was unearthed, and Colin even built a small cart to tow Doug around.
We put a hat on him. We put him on Facebook, taking him for a walk, giving him some sunshine, Colin said. Its all a bit of fun. Its amazing what entertains people.
A more official weigh-in at a local farming store put Doug at 7.8 kg. The Guinness World Records entry for the heaviest potato is a 2011 monster from Britain that weighed in at just under 5 kg. The couple say theyve applied to Guinness to have Doug recognized and are waiting to hear back.
Guinness said it couldnt share information on the application and that the British potato remained the record-holder, for now at least.
Colin said he doesnt have any secret gardening tips. Usually they throw a bunch of cow manure and straw onto their garden and see what happens. He said theyd been growing cucumbers in that area of their garden before the weeds took over and hadnt planted any potatoes. Doug must have been self-sown, and quite possibly growing for a couple of years or more.
Its a mystery to me, Colin said. Its one of natures little pleasant surprises.
But Doug hasnt proved an easy charge to look after. As the couple showed the potato off, it began drying out and losing weight. Mold started growing from its wounds.
He was getting a bit pongy, said Colin, referring to the potatos smell.
So Colin cleaned up Doug as best he could and put the potato in the freezer, where it remains.
But Colin may not be done with Doug yet. An amateur brewer, Colin said hes keen to turn Doug into a nice drop of potato vodka.
See the article here:
Doug the ugly New Zealand potato could be world's biggest - Associated Press
- New Zealands The Beths bringing smorgasbord of music to Grog Shop next week - cleveland.com - August 4th, 2022
- Axiom Space will put New Zealand on International Space Station - Space.com - August 4th, 2022
- Coast House is a minimalist retreat in the heart of New Zealands South Island - Wallpaper* - August 4th, 2022
- NED vs NZ Live Streaming Details- When And Where To Watch Netherlands vs New Zealand Live In Your Country? New Zealand Tour Of Netherlands 2022, 1st... - August 4th, 2022
- New Zealand will continue to cooperate with more assertive China, Ardern says - The Guardian - August 4th, 2022
- New Zealand unable to say when monkeypox vaccines will arrive - The Guardian - August 4th, 2022
- Help wanted: New Zealand industries struggle to find workers - Rappler - August 4th, 2022
- The most requested karaoke songs in New Zealand - Stuff - August 4th, 2022
- Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman to Visit Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands, Australia, and New Zealand - United States Department of State -... - August 4th, 2022
- ENG-W vs NZ-W Group A Commonwealth Games 2022 LIVE Streaming Details: When and Where to Watch England Women... - Zee News - August 4th, 2022
- Meeting with Biosecurity New Zealand to help further protect Tasmania - Premier of Tasmania - August 4th, 2022
- The New Zealand news nugget circling the globe 110 years after publication - The Spinoff - August 4th, 2022
- Commonwealth Games 2022: All the New Zealand teams and athletes on day six - as it happened - New Zealand Herald - August 4th, 2022
- Must have double D breasts: New Zealand bar faces backlash for its sexist job advert - The Independent - August 4th, 2022
- New Zealand Dollar and Aussie Outperform on Improved Sentiment - Pound Sterling Live - August 4th, 2022
- Whisky In The Jar At New Zealand's Arable Awards | Scoop News - Scoop - August 4th, 2022
- Is it time to ditch the New Zealand Traveller Declaration? - Stuff - August 4th, 2022
- Explained: The New Zealand beach where the moon doesn't move the sea - Stuff - August 4th, 2022
- A guide to what you can't bring into New Zealand's national parks - Stuff - August 4th, 2022
- Hamish Flies High To Achieve New Zealand First | Scoop News - Scoop - August 4th, 2022
- International Space Station captures stunning views of New Zealand - Stuff - August 4th, 2022
- Rugby Championship 2022: Fixtures, team news and how to watch on TV - The Telegraph - August 4th, 2022
- Juniper benefits from Charlotte Rampling's layered performance as a grandmother grappling with mortality - ABC News - August 4th, 2022
- Netherlands vs New Zealand LIVE: Cricket score and updates from New Zealand in Netherlands 2022 - The Independent - August 4th, 2022
- Covid-19: Why a coming drop in NZ's vax rates is good news - New Zealand Herald - August 4th, 2022
- Covid NZ: Why long-term Covid restrictions are less effective than advertised - Stuff - August 4th, 2022
- Harley Boulton, one of New Zealand's early heart patients farewelled - Stuff - August 4th, 2022
- New Zealand's borders are fully reopening after more than two years - July 31st, 2022
- New Zealand: Tourist falls in thermal sinkhole, 'distressed' villagers ... - July 31st, 2022
- New Zealand's borders fully open after long pandemic closure - Reuters - July 31st, 2022
- Even as China becomes more assertive, there are still shared interests, New Zealand's prime minister says - Reuters - July 31st, 2022
- New Zealand powers to 7-wicket victory over Scotland - The Associated Press - en Espaol - July 31st, 2022
- Commonwealth Games 2022: Live updates of all the New Zealand teams and athletes on day three - New Zealand Herald - July 31st, 2022
- New Zealand Climbers Built Snow Cave To Survive Terrifying Avalanche - NDTV - July 31st, 2022
- Guns, rage and racism: Has NZ become an angry nation? - New Zealand Herald - July 31st, 2022
- Cost of living payment: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern admits some people overseas will receive it - New Zealand Herald - July 31st, 2022
- Commonwealth Games 2022: A golden day in the pool for New Zealand - day three wrap - New Zealand Herald - July 31st, 2022
- Sunday rugby news as New Zealand boss hits back after scathing Hansen and Moffett criticism and Wales blow - Wales Online - July 31st, 2022
- Russia bans 32 New Zealand officials and journalists from entering the country - New Zealand Herald - July 31st, 2022
- Victory! Kate thrilled as she beats New Zealand rivals in Plymouth sailing race - VIDEO - Express - July 31st, 2022
- TikTok a threat to New Zealand businesses, expert warns - Stuff - July 31st, 2022
- Former Karitane nurse and New Zealand's oldest woman dies aged 110 - New Zealand Herald - July 31st, 2022
- Ryman Supports New Zealand's Love Of Dance With $15,000 | Scoop News - Scoop - July 31st, 2022
- 35 Years Since Te Reo Became An Official Language Of New Zealand | Scoop News - Scoop - July 31st, 2022
- Despite what political leaders say, New Zealands health workforce is in crisis but its the same everywhere else - Asia Pacific Report - July 31st, 2022
- The Perfect Storm: Health And Housing Crisis Will See More New Zealanders Struggle To Access Aged Care Services | Scoop News - Scoop - July 31st, 2022
- New Zealand's eight most remote islands at the edge of Aotearoa's Pacific realm - New Zealand Herald - July 31st, 2022
- New Zealand petition seeks to change country's name to Aotearoa in honor of its Mori roots - Yahoo News - July 29th, 2022
- Australian woman seriously injured after falling into geothermal sinkhole in New Zealand - New York Post - July 29th, 2022
- New Zealand climbers survive avalanche and blizzard, thanks to snow cave and muesli bars - The Guardian - July 29th, 2022
- The paddock that became a grave for the people New Zealand branded defective and chose to forget - The Guardian - July 29th, 2022
- Are Australia and New Zealand Compromising on Democratic Ideals in the Pacific? - The Diplomat - July 29th, 2022
- New Zealand is reopening, and its 10th 'Great Walk' is the perfect way to celebrate - iNews - July 29th, 2022
- New Zealand thrash Scotland by 102 runs to seal T20 series - FRANCE 24 English - July 29th, 2022
- David Moffett calls for New Zealand Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson to resign - Stuff - July 29th, 2022
- New Zealand's latest COVID wave is levelling off, with fewer people in hospital than feared - The Conversation - July 29th, 2022
- Cairns Airport international recovery focused on core markets of Singapore, New Zealand and Japan | anna.aero - anna.aero - July 29th, 2022
- Experienced England face early New Zealand test in netball title defence - The Guardian - July 29th, 2022
- Couple evicted from $4,500 Airbnb in the middle of night - CP24 Toronto's Breaking News - July 29th, 2022
- NZ skies ready for celestial show of up to '20 meteors an hour' - New Zealand Herald - July 29th, 2022
- Man charged with sabotage believed to be first in NZ history - Bay of Plenty Times - July 29th, 2022
- Commonwealth Games: New Zealand schedule and results at Birmingham 2022 - Stuff - July 29th, 2022
- Key of the Antarctic: Ex New Zealand PM leads expedition cruise south - New Zealand Herald - July 29th, 2022
- 'Slap in the face': Travel agents' anger at Air NZ's axing of commissions - New Zealand Herald - July 29th, 2022
- New Zealand housing faces biggest ever crash - MacroBusiness - July 29th, 2022
- NCR Delivers Services to Run Bank of New Zealand's ATM Network - Business Wire - July 29th, 2022
- Where this airline boss would take every visitor to in New Zealand - Stuff - July 29th, 2022
- Former New Zealand sports rep bowled over by kindness on 104th birthday - Stuff - July 29th, 2022
- Back In Action: The New Zealand SailGP Team Hits The Waters In Plymouth | Scoop News - Scoop - July 29th, 2022
- New Zealand must follow through on promise to halve emissions, look at whether it could be strengthened - COP26 president Alok Sharma - Newshub - July 29th, 2022
- The changing face of the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography - Stuff - July 29th, 2022
- The most expensive place in New Zealand to rent a home - Stuff - July 29th, 2022
- New Zealand on track for worst year ever for climate-related insurance claims - Newshub - July 29th, 2022
- Whnau Mrama: New Zealand International Film Festival: Six of the wildest rides - Stuff - July 29th, 2022
- Scotland vs New Zealand, 2nd T20I, New Zealand tour of Scotland, 2022 - Cricbuzz - July 29th, 2022
- New Zealand to Keep Hiking at Pace After Third Half-Point Move - Bloomberg - July 13th, 2022
- No fear: the New Zealand virtual reality app helping conquer phobias - The Guardian - July 13th, 2022
- New Zealand reports second monkeypox case, unrelated to first - The Guardian - July 13th, 2022
- Plymouth couple returns from New Zealand to face charges in 2015 child neglect case - FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul - July 13th, 2022
- New Zealand Announces New Police Powers to Tackle Exploding Violent Gang Crime - The Epoch Times - July 13th, 2022