Big Sumter Sweet Potato

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Published on June 30, 2023 12:33:33 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGhMoJVsH3A

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Wedgefield, SC (WLTX) -- A family in Wedgefield may have grown the heaviest sweet potato in South Carolina history.

The 12-pound spud was a surprise to 88-year-old Sara Kelly.

"I'm free to do what I feel like doing, or what I want to do and I just go with it," said Kelly,

Kelly has been on her organic Wedgefield farm since the late 1940s and has been farming her whole life, but she has never grown a sweet potato this big. "Oh I dug it up," said Kelly.

Kelly's son Ivan says this is not the first big potato they have grown though.

Ivan Kelly said, "It is something about this particular side of the property, and they just get pretty large, just on this side."

He said, "We don't know why, but it is just this particular side they get pretty large." Last year they grew a nine pound sweet potato and they say size does not affect the taste.

Ivan Kelly said, "You flavor that baby up and it's going to be good." Sara is not so sure the 12-pound sweet potato is going to be on the table though.

Sara said, "It's good to look at, but I don't know what I going to do with it." Some of the other sweet potatoes she will give away, especially this time of the year.

"This is Thanksgiving season, and we are to be thankful in all things and with all things, so there is nothing wrong with sharing, and I like doing that," said Sara.

The family is not sure how many pies can be made from a 12-pound sweet potato, but they are already planning to go bigger in 2016.

Ivan said, "We're going to do it again next year, we'll try for 13 pounds."

The family says they are going to try to find out if this is the record for the largest sweet potato ever grown in the state.
From their research, the current South Carolina record is 8 pounds, that one was grown in the Upstate.