When the Idaho Potato Commission unveiled their six-ton potato in 2011, it wasn't supposed to last more than a year.

Unveiled in 2011, oversized Russet Burbank potato was part of the commission's 75th anniversary celebration and was only meant to be shown off for 365.  Needless to say, the potato was a huge hit with proud Idahoans so for the next six years, the potato commission resurfaced and repainted the potato  Before retiring in 2017, the original potato traveled 148,000 miles and stopped in nearly 7,200 US cities.

Unfortunately, the Great Big Idaho Potato Truck had some major design flaws.  It was just wide enough to be considered a "wide load."  Wide loads aren't allowed to travel at night, which meant the potato had to sit out of some massively popular parades in the Treasure Valley like the night light parades that Meridian and Caldwell organizes during the holiday season.

That's why they decided to reach out to the same family who built the potato for the Idaho Potato Drop to build a new, slightly smaller potato that would feature special lighting to make it appear to glow in the dark.

So what became of the original potato? IPC gifted it to Kristie Wolfe, one of the original members of the Tater Team, who is now famous for some building some wickedly creative tiny home Airbnbs like The Hobbit Inn in Washington State and Hawaii's Big Island Tree House.

After a little over a year, she's almost done with the "Big Idaho Potato Hotel" that you'll be able to rent! She coated the inside of the potato with nearly $7,000 worth of spray home to help insulate it, converted a wine cooler into a perfect potato sized refrigerator and added running water to a tiny kitchenette area.

Now if you're like me, your next question is...so where's the bathroom? It's in a silo, just a short jaunt away.  It includes a large metal tub, shower and fireplace.

Kristie plans to have all the finishing touches (like adding electricity and a record player) put on the tiny home by late May and once it's complete, you'll be able to rent it for just $200 a night. It's final resting location is at 31581 S Orchard Access Rd. in Boise!

Digital Daniel popped by for the official tour this morning where Kristie received a special potato-warming gift from Frank Muir, the current president of the Idaho Potato Commission. Check out some of the photos and video he grabbed!

Big Idaho Potato Hotel

 

 

 

 

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