KC’s Union Station got a visit from a 4-ton piece of produce. Here’s what & why
Union Station got a visit from a 4-ton produce item Friday. The Big Idaho Potato Truck made a stop on its national tour, raising awareness about the brand and donating to charities along the way.
The truck is 13 feet tall and 72 feet long, weighing 4 tons. It would take 7,000 years to grow a real potato of this size. If it were real, it’d make 1,000,000 french fries.
The truck was parked in the southwest corner of the parking lot, taking up more than 7 parking spots and towering above the regular cars. People posed for photos in front of the massive potato.
The Idaho Potato tour has a mission called A Big Helping. A charity in each of the tour cities is selected to create an event to help raise awareness, funds, food or all three for the nonprofit. In Kansas City, Harvesters is their partner.
The truck shares updates on its social media about serving up “A Big Helping” across the country.
The truck has made other stops in the Kansas City area, visiting six Hy-Vees, including Overland Park, Mission and more.
“Throughout those six Hy-Vees, we have a donation board where folks gather from the community and sign the board,” said Jenna Garafala, a brand ambassador known to the team as Spudshine. “Every signature we get on that board, we donate a dollar to Harvesters.”
The next stops will be two more Hy-Vee stores before the truck leaves town. It’ll be in Kansas City, Kansas, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and Overland Park from 4-7 p.m.
The donations are Garafala’s favorite part of being with the organization, she said.
“Just really hitting the communities where it matters most instead of giving to big organizations,” she said. “I think it’s really cool that we donate to local charity.”
This is the 14th journey across the county for the Big Idaho Potato Truck. The custom started in 2012 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Idaho Potato Commission. What began as a celebration for one year became a tradition.
“We’re on our 14th because it’s been so successful,” said Garafala.
The tour is typically seventh months long, beginning in February and ending in mid- to late September. On average, each tour covers 35 states, but over the years, it’s traveled to all 50 states.
IPC represents over 700 family-owned farms in Idaho. The commission established in 1937 assures quality and geniality. It protects and promotes the “Grown in Idaho” seal. Potatoes from the state stand out because of Idaho’s ideal growing conditions, including rich, volcanic soil, climate and irrigation, according to the Big Idaho Potato website.
The IPC uses the Big Potato Truck for other events like the Kentucky Derby, NASCAR and more.
“You name it. We’ve done it,” said Garafala.
The big potato will be making stops in Philadelphia next.