Large produce appearing on Soufriere farms

A high yield at harvest time is wonderful news, but to reap a giant potato totally exceeded his expectations, according to Prince Albert, a 24-year-old farmer of Petit Bordel.{{more}}

Also known as Farmer, Albert couldn’t contain his excitement as he showed off his giant potato. Measuring 8.5 inches in height, one foot across and a whopping 37 inches in diameter and weighing 17 lbs, this potato is certainly something to behold.

Farmer told SEARCHLIGHT that he has been farming fulltime for seven years, and although from time to time he reaps large potatoes, this one is the largest he has ever seen. The potato was grown in Fanny, on the northwestern coast below the Soufriere Hills.

In the Morne Round area, three farmers were also surprised to reap two giant yams. Roses Crew front man Gregory “DJ Twenty” Small told SEARCHLIGHT that his friend Archibald wanted to dig some yams to take home, but after a while he came back and told them that he needed help to dig the yams. Twenty said that he asked what type of yam it was that he would want help to dig. “I stewps my teeth and continued working, while my other friend Samuel went to help,” Twenty said.

After about half an hour, when neither of his friends had returned, Twenty said that he went to see what was taking them so long. “I couldn’t believe me eyes because they had already dug about a hand length and still they can’t reach the bottom of the yams,” Twenty said.

The men took turns digging with a cutlass until they had extracted the two very large yams and about ten smaller ones. The yams, which were brought to Rose Bank by boat, measured five feet and weighed 44 pounds in one case, while the other measured five feet seven inches and weighed 56 pounds.

The larger yam was shared among the Archibald and Samuel families, while Twenty cut the other one into ten pieces and shared it among his neighbours.