Doug, world’s largest potato?
A New Zealand couple discovered the 17.4-lb. wonder in their backyard
This is one big potato.
New Zealand couple Colin and Donna Craig-Brown discovered something very large — and very ugly — in their backyard this August: a 17.4-lb. potato, according to the Associated Press.
"We couldn't believe it," Donna told the news agency. "It was just huge."
The married couple made their discovery while digging in their garden. At first Colin wasn't sure what it could be, but once he tasted a bit of the skin, he knew exactly what they were dealing with.
Over time, the couple have grown quite fond of their massive root vegetable.
In addition to deciding to call it Doug — a nod to how the potato came into their lives — Colin even made a small cart to wheel it around in, per the AP.
"We put a hat on him. We put him on Facebook, taking him for a walk, giving him some sunshine," Donna remarked. "It's all a bit of fun."
However, all of the love and attention Doug's been getting has come at a cost.
"He was getting a bit pongy," Colin told the AP, using a term that refers to a bad smell, per Urban Dictionary.
So after cleaning up some of the mold that started growing on Doug, the potato now lives in the couple's freezer, according to the AP.
However, all of the love and attention Doug's been getting has come at a cost.
"He was getting a bit pongy," Colin told the AP, using a term that refers to a bad smell, per Urban Dictionary.
So after cleaning up some of the mold that started growing on Doug, the potato now lives in the couple's freezer, according to the AP.
Although Colin told the AP that Doug may end up being used to make vodka one day, the couple also hope to get the potato into the Guinness Book of World Records.
The current record was set in 2011 by a spud that clocked in at just under 5kg (about 11 lbs.)
The couple told the AP that they are waiting to hear back from Guinness, which did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
