The longest carrot in the world. The biggest potato

What kind of miracles does a person encounter throughout his life? These include mutant plants that surprise with their gigantic size.

You can also exclaim at the sight of unique garden specimens - vegetables and fruits. By the way, competitions among gardeners, both amateurs and professionals, have existed for a long time. At specialized exhibitions you can even get acquainted with the work of gardeners and the fruits that grew in ordinary beds. Giant zucchini, up to four meters in length, giant cabbage weighing almost 25 kilograms, or an incredible pumpkin, from which you can easily make a comfortable doghouse for a large dog.

Potatoes are the fourth most important crop of corn, wheat and rice. They are cooked, roasted, roasted or used as raw materials for preparing other dishes. It belongs to the most balanced sources of livelihood that humanity has. The quality of today's potatoes in stores is deteriorating, so we are trying to change this fact and allow you to buy directly from the growers from us. Our goal is to grow and sell tasty and high-quality potatoes throughout the year.

How many days from planting to harvest do individual varieties take?

If the Spaniards had been interested in cultivating them from the very beginning, Europe would not have had to wait another hundred years before their secrets were discovered, and millions of people would not have had to die of starvation. At that time, potatoes were a highly developed crop in Peru, and cultivation technology was equally advanced. Old Peruvians were able to benefit from climate change and harsh climatic conditions their environment. But if he does not know history, then there is nothing more than an acceptance of the sequence of events that led to the dissolution of the imperial empire, and for decades Europe may have hidden the greatest wealth of ancient South American cultures.

For many of us, for example, a potato is considered gigantic if it weighs more than 200 grams. However, experts who constantly deal with non-standard vegetables and take part in annual European themed festivals call a fruit large if its weight exceeds 750 grams. Well, even researchers’ eyebrows shoot up in surprise at the sight of potatoes weighing more than 1.5 kilograms. And it turns out that this is far from the limit.

According to ancient myths, Viracocha, the creator of the Incas, first made him his children named Mama Ocl and Manco Capac, who sent them to earth to create a new empire to grow potatoes. However, archaeological research and findings prove that potatoes were an important part of the life of the old Peruvians long before the first Inca settled on the throne of the sun. The existence of the potato dates back to the oldest history of the cultures that inhabited this part of the South American continent. Its first inhabitants, hunters, gatherers and nomads, consumed wild species and began domestication.

Record size of the largest potato

A peasant named Khalil Sekhzat easily outpaced all the farmers of Europe. He lives in the city of Tyre, in southern Saudi Arabia. The man was able to grow a huge potato weighing exactly 11 kilograms and 200 grams. For such fruit and vegetable gardening work, Khalil was awarded an honorable place in the Guinness Book of Records. And the fruit of his activity received the title of the largest potato in the world.

Thousands of years ago, when the first forms of agriculture emerged from primitive fields, various types wild potatoes were planted and crossed. Over time, farmers grew hybrids that made potatoes larger, less bitter, and better adapted to the varying soil and climate conditions of the Peruvian Andes. Perhaps even more surprising is the fact that potato motifs, whether realistic or symbolic, appear on famous pottery from the prehistoric Motique and Chimuan cultures of the sandy Pacific desert.

However, even eating potatoes of this size is scary. The girth of the giant vegetable was equal to the girth of three adult heads. And this record holder became an order of magnitude heavier than the previous leader - her English predecessor, who grew up in 1975, was more than three kilograms lighter. A farmer from Saudi Arabia, when he dug up his crop, at first could not believe his own eyes. As Khalil admits, he never wanted to grow a giant fruit and, of course, never expected to see such a huge potato in his garden.

Today it forms the state border between the countries of Peru and Bolivia, which, of course, were part of the same thing - the Inca Empire. Despite the fact that the surrounding area does not spare the lives of its inhabitants, this place is filled with magical magic and a unique atmosphere, and perhaps that is why many myths and legends are attached to it. The most famous one tells about the very creation of the empire, since the first Incas were born on one of its islands. And it must be said that the sacred respect for Lake Titicaca comes from all his descendants even today at the beginning of the century.

According to Khalil Semhat, he did not use any fertilizers, moreover, he did not pay special attention to the potato beds at all. His entire crop grew as usual, and the fruit weighed more than 11 kilograms, a real miracle of nature. And if potatoes weighing about a kilogram can satisfy a family of four, then the vegetable that Khalil grew will be enough for lunch in a small village.

Regardless of its legendary origins, the lake has always been an important source of livelihood: it contains many fish, and the surrounding fields provide corn, quinine and especially potatoes, for which the cradle is considered. The Incas were known not only as great warriors and builders, who in just three centuries of existence created the most extensive and at the same time the best organized state of the entire pre-Columbian nation of America, but also as an experienced farmer. Despite the unhealthy alpine landscape, they were able to maximize their potential.

One way or another, Khalil Semhat is glad that he managed to grow the largest potato in the world, however, he does not see his own merit in this. By the way, as soon as the Saudi entered the Guinness Book of Records, his interest in agriculture naturally increased. And sales of his harvest have increased several times. It is likely that most buyers hope to find another record holder in the purchased bag.

To this day, Inca terraces are built on the steep slopes of the most remote and least accessible Andean valleys. And so many experts shy away from how they built the complex irrigation system. Canals and ditches bring life-giving liquid to the uppermost field, and also drain excess water during spring floods. In short, agriculture played a key role in the Indian economy and its importance is certainly demonstrated by the fact that autumn cultivation of the soil was involved in its own right.

He claimed to be the owner of all the land in the territory of Tahuantingxuyu, as well as official name Inca Empire. Although he spent most of his time on the golden stretchers and rarely came to the ground, when it was time for sowing, the golden engraving sticks symbolically launched the field work every year. However, the family had an almost customary use of agricultural land, the so-called ayla. All their members worked - whether in the field, on the shore and on the surface of the lake, they fished or produced fabrics from lamellas or cotton wool.

British rival of the giant potato Well, a few words are worth saying about another record holder. A British amateur gardener named Peter Glazebrook, a resident of Knotampton, grew an amazing fruit, which for quite a long time was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most big potatoes in the world. The weight of the monster vegetable was 3 kilograms and 730 grams. The potato was officially weighed at the National Gardening Show, which took place in 2010 in Shepton Maller, Somerset, England.

India's laws have put in place systematic efforts to make people feel uncomfortable. Loneliness was the most punishable crime, and hard work the greatest virtues. All people were poor, no one could become rich, but he was not allowed to suffer from lack. The rulers were also reasonably priced during illiteracy, so the empire had a government warehouse that regularly collected part of the harvest.

How rich the harvest is, according to the Inche religion, Pachamama, the goddess of the earth and fertility. Therefore her favor had to be done and sacrificed at her shrines. Spanish chroniclers write that the Incas imagined her as a spherical body in the shape of a “pumpkin” with feminine features. Part of the ceremony was the use of coca and a heady corn drink called chicha. The coca leaves were burned and the chich was poured onto the ground as an offering. Unusual cases where the arrival of a new sovereign, a time of illness or a period of drought and disaster were considered sacrifices to deities, especially children or important prisoners of war.

The 66-year-old gardener is very proud that he managed to grow such a huge fruit. Now he is making every effort to exceed his results. Peter Glazebrook even shares the secrets of growing record holders. To do this, according to him, it is necessary to choose the right seed material, as well as to approach the growing process wisely. How exactly, Peter shares with everyone and shows his skills in practice. The main thing, says the gardener, is to make every effort. The latest record holder, the giant potato, according to the gardener, is similar to the Condor ship from the Star Trek film.

The country of potatoes - that's why Peru can be called today without exaggeration. In many places, the way this crop is cultivated has not changed much. However, most natives consider potatoes to be a product of mood and mood, and the astonishment of visitors who are surprised by the variety of shapes and colors of an individual potato only shakes their heads.

The oldest results of potato tuber residues show a special technology for their modification. In the mountainous regions of Peru and Bolivia, special dehydration and preservation techniques are still used. However, it should be emphasized that in the region there are completely different types potatoes than we know in Europe. Some of them, for example, contain so many alkaloids in the tubers that they are both poisonous and unusable in their normal state because of this. The natives found a way to remove these alkaloids.

It is worth noting that in addition to the huge potato, Peter Glazebrook set a number of other agricultural records. Namely, to grow the largest carrots, about five meters long, beets, exactly 6.4 meters long, as well as 16 kilogram parsnips.

The price of the largest potato is “Not more expensive than money.” However, the largest potato does not mean the most expensive. Today, the most money for a vegetable will have to be paid for a delicacy from France. The Labonnotte variety costs about ten times more than regular potatoes. The fruit is grown only on the island of Noirmoulier. And it is truly unique.

This special ancient technique, based on the natural extremes of temperature fluctuations in the local climate and the poisonous tubers that make the chocolate of all the hills, is called "alien". At night it should drop to 20 degrees below zero. For local natives, chicken production is often the only source of livelihood.

From Puna, the largest port on the shores of Titicaca, we ride with the handsome taxi driver Julius on a trip to the mountains. José and the research institute accompany us to show us how the goose is produced. The road tangled between the stone walls above the city and after two hours of driving, it dissolves into the endless expanse of the plateau. The landscape towards the horizon grows only in tufts of untouched grass, where hardly anyone in the civilized world can imagine that it offers anything for life. And yet. “So, this is an ideal landscape for the production of chopsticks,” Joseph suddenly surprised us with his finger pointing far into the distance.

Firstly, the most expensive potatoes grow in sandy soil. There is not much space on the island, so it is only enough to grow about 80 tons of elite potato tubers per year.

Secondly, Labonnotte potatoes are harvested only when they are young. The peasants are given several days for this at the beginning of May.

And thirdly, French potatoes are dug exclusively by hand. This is done in order not to damage the delicate peel of the vegetable.

Something stunningly blue in the wind. The igelite sail, once we find it, will at least partially catch the gusts, and the natives can soak in and shoot during the day. Young Rodolphe's family was in the camp for the second month. Apparently, a frightened woman with a child pulled into her chest and a baseball cap - the only thing that was "at the end of the world" in the modern world - does not understand at first why we are interested in such a wonderful thing. Jose, fortunately, speaks Quechua, so the reason for our visit is explained, and the woman finally talks about her work.

And the most important thing is the taste of the tubers. It is salty and sweet at the same time. And for this, special thanks to the seaweed that is used to fertilize the Labonnotte variety. Iodine and salt give the world's most expensive potato a unique taste.

By the way, you cannot store elite French potatoes for a long time; they may go to waste. Therefore, the tubers are quickly delivered to local restaurants for gourmets to enjoy. It is worth noting that not only farmers handle potatoes with care, but also cooks. You can remove the skin from a regular potato with a knife, but the delicate shell of the unique Labonnotte must be peeled off with coarse salt. Immediately after this, the big-eyed vegetables are boiled and then smoked exclusively on pine needles along with fresh fish.

There are two main types: Chuño Negro and Chuño Blanco or Moraya. The difference between the types of potatoes used and minor variations in processing technology. The tubers are alternately exposed to overnight frost, and the outer skin and liquid are mechanically removed from the soaked tubers.

Rodolfo shows us this mechanical path. He walks barefoot on potatoes splashed in water that just melted a moment ago, and with a laughing cheek he hunts us, as if it is not easy and more fun to work under the sun. However, this is a very important phase because it washes away unwanted alkaloids. The potatoes are then exposed to sunlight, thereby drying them out. The whole process is repeated for several days until the potatoes lose all their liquid and they become a mummy light like a cork.

However, to try such an exquisite dish, gourmets have only two weeks, which are counted from the moment the tubers are collected. Potatoes can be stored for no more than half a month. As experts say, the dish has an amazing taste, however, the tubers of the most expensive potatoes are tiny, much smaller than ordinary potatoes. However, the taste of Labonnotte cannot even be compared with regular potatoes. Undoubtedly, the French vegetable is beyond competition.

Potatoes treated in this way can be stored in a dry place for up to eight years without attacking or otherwise damaging pests. For mountain dwellers, they are often the only element of an already strict diet in the fate of centuries. Due to the demanding climatic conditions required for its production, its production cannot be counted in other parts of the world. Huna is likely to remain a permanent treasure of the Inca land, and whoever wants to know the secret of its taste has no choice but to go to Peru or Bolivia.

Cooking chicken is basically identical to cooking fresh potatoes, which are most often consumed in soup or shredded. We had the opportunity to try many times in the Andean countries, but our interest in this did not end. A sample of the so-called moraya was taken to the Havlickuv Brod Potato Research Institute to have its composition examined by experts. They found that whitewash compared to "Czech" potatoes showed greater differences only in the amount of starch, less in the protein content.

Since carving is a figured carving on vegetables and fruits, one cannot help but touch upon the achievements of man in the field of growing these products. It is surprising and shocking how much results farmers from different countries have been able to achieve.

Below are the most outstanding Guinness Book of Records records from the “Big Food” section.

THE BIGGEST WATERMELON

Lloyd Bright and his Hope Farm Store have been growing giant watermelons continuously since 1979. The last of the victories was a watermelon, weighing 122 kg. The world record for the speed of eating a watermelon was set in 2001 by Italian Francesco Traina. He managed to eat a kilogram of watermelon in 1 minute

THE BIGGEST PUMPKIN

Soji Shirai from Ashibetsu (Japan) is pictured next to a 440 kg pumpkin. An average pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo) weighs between 1 and 2 kg. The largest pumpkin in the world was grown by Gary Burke from Simcoe (Ontario, Canada) and weighs 495 kg. The record was registered on October 3, 1998.

THE BIGGEST ZUCCHER

The largest zucchini in the world was grown by an Australian from the Norfolk Islands. It took two people to lift the 65-kilogram zucchini.

THE BIGGEST CUCUMBER

The world's largest cucumber grew in the garden of British gardener Alfo Cobb. Its length reaches 91.7 centimeters. Moreover, this is Cobb’s second world record. His previous record cucumber was 89.2 centimeters long.

THE BIGGEST CABBAGE

John Evans from Alaska, USA, is famous for growing giant vegetables, one of them is cabbage, which weighs 34.4 kg.

THE HEaviest CARROT

John Evans also managed to grow the heaviest carrot weighing 8.5 kg in 1998.

THE BIGGEST CAULIFLOWER

Continuing his string of records, Evans grew the largest cauliflower, which weighed 14.1 kg.

THE LONGEST CARROT

The record carrot, 4 m 57 cm long, was grown by James Crow.

THE BIGGEST TOMATO

Gordon Graham of Edmond grew a tomato weighing 3.51 kilograms in 1986. He also grew a tomato bush 16.3m high. It was reported that 12,312 pieces grew on a single bush. tomatoes in 347 days. And the Japanese entered the Guinness Book of Records by growing a tomato tree the height of a three-story house on a special frame.

THE BIGGEST MANGO

Colleen Porter, a resident of Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, grew the largest mango in the world. The record fruit weighs 2.46 kg! The Keitt variety, which holds the record fruit, usually does not reach more than 1.3 kg.

THE BIGGEST LEEK

The 4.34kg leek was grown by Hanky Bishop in 1983.

THE BIGGEST ONION

Mel Edney from Anstruther (Fife, UK) in 1997 grew the world's largest onion weighing 7.03 kg.

THE BIGGEST POTATOES

Lebanese farmer Khalil Semhat from southern city Tyr could not believe his eyes when he discovered such a huge sweet potato in his garden - 11.2 kg.

THE HEaviest BROCCOLI

And then John Evans succeeded: he grew a giant broccoli weighing 15.8 kg.

THE BIGGEST VIETNAMESE ZUCCHER

A two-meter Vietnamese zucchini was grown by 63-year-old pensioner from Chisinau Nina Sychuk. The record-breaking vegetable was growing by leaps and bounds. At times I gained ten centimeters (!) a day. You could eat zucchini in parts: just cut off a piece, and the vegetable, you know, grows further.

THE BIGGEST POTATO

One thing has been established that the British farmer J. Est from Spalding dug up a potato weighing 3.2 kg in 1963, from which a tuber grown in 1982 in the field of the British D. Busby from Atherston could not take the record only because he had such the same weight. An 8.3kg potato tuber said to have been grown in 1795 in Chester must be relegated to the category of dubious legend.

BIGGEST POTATO HARVEST

Vyacheslav Fedorovich Musatov from the city of Bobruisk-25 (Belarus) harvested a large potato harvest from one bush. Under one potato bush of the Sineglazka variety, 26 potatoes grew with a total weight of 3 kg 150 g.

THE LARGEST DAIKON

The world's largest daikon was grown by a resident of the city of Sakurajima, located next to the active volcano of the same name on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. The daikon grown by 58-year-old Manabu Ono pulled 29.6 kg and had no equal at the competition held in this city. Its organizers intend to apply for the inclusion of the miracle radish in the Guinness Book of Records. In it, by the way, the record holder so far is the daikon, grown by the same enthusiast, who this time surpassed his own achievement by 8.4 kg.

THE BIGGEST CORN COB

Bernard Lavery from Rhonda (UK) grew an ear of corn 92 cm long.

THE BIGGEST PINEAPPLE

The 8.06 kg pineapple was grown in 1994 by E. Kamuk from Ace Village (Papua New Guinea).

THE BIGGEST GRAPEFRUIT

J. Willington collected a fruit weighing 2.966 kg. (Tuscon, Arizona 12/21/84).

THE LONGEST KOHLRABI

Kohlrabi, 4.16 m long, was grown in 1982 by B.T. Newton (Australia).

THE BIGGEST LEMON

The lemon, weighing 3.88 kg and 74.9 cm in circumference, was harvested in California in 1982.

THE BIGGEST MELONE

Melon weighing 118 kg. matured in 1985 in the USA.

THE BIGGEST PEAR

A specimen weighing 1.405 kg. was recorded in 1979 in South Wales.

THE BIGGEST SUGAR BEET

Vegetable weighing 20.63 kg. was grown in California in 1974.

THE BIGGEST TURNIP

Turnip weighing 15.975 kg. matured by C. W. Butler at Nafferton in 1972. A turnip weighing 33.1 kg was reported in 1768 and a turnip weighing 23.1 kg was reported from Alaska in 1981.