6-Ton Potato Tours New York City

DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — If you didn't keep your eyes peeled for a giant "potato" touring New York City on a boat Wednesday morning, you're out of luck. There was a six-ton (12,000 pounds) "potato" owned by the Idaho Potato Commission, Idaho's agency that advertises the potato all across the country, sailing the harbor from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The massive spud-muffin greeted us with its presence as a sort of thank you note to New York state because it consumes such a high number of potatoes, said Sue Kennedy, spokeswoman for the commission.

And despite the "It's Real" emblazoned on the side of the 18-wheeler, no, the potato was not real.

The Idaho Potato Commission thanked two New York City restaurants from the 1930s, which it said have been instrumental in making the baked potato one of the most popular side dishes in restaurants: Macy's and Toffenetti's. It also donated 12,000 pounds of Idaho potatoes to the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, according to a press release from the commission.

The commission recorded video of the potato sailing past the Statue of Liberty Wednesday afternoon and aired it on Facebook and Periscope live. The trip marks the beginning of the 2016 potato harvest in Idaho.

Photos courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission