The most P.E.I. gift: Giant heart-shaped potato thrills kids

Before thischallenging harvestfor P.E.I. potato farmers comes to a closethere was one heartwarming moment left to be had.

Danie van Schalkwyk, withAllan Equipment, was visiting the Arthur Mooney andSons farm in easternP.E.I.to check up on a new potato harvester they'd purchased.

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As he was standing on the back of the machine looking around, his eye was drawn toa "great big potato" up ahead in the dirt.

This potato may have been huge, but it was also bizarrely shaped.

"It looks like a heart, and I thought 'I got to grab that and show my girls,'" he said.

"When I grabbed it I thought of them and I said, 'They will get a kick out of this, especially because it's a perfect heart shape. You don't see that everyday.'"

'It just made their day'

He took the potato home, washed it up a bit and called his two girls to come see the treasure.

"Come look what I got for you," he called through the house. He showed them the big, heart-shaped potato and they just "burst out" in joy, Schalkwyk said.

"They were really happy about it. They were holding it up to their hearts, taking turns to hold it. They were quite happy with it.

"It just made their day."

This little moment of glee brought a lot of smilesin what's been a "far from ideal" harvest for farmers thisyear, he said.

Heavy rain, cold temperatures andvery few dry days this fall have created whatone farmer called an almost "helpless feeling."Recently, Island farmers have beenbandingtogether to help harvest each other's crops.

It's going to go with the rest of the toys. I think it's still there.DanievanSchalkwyk

During this time of year, Schalkwykdoesn'tget achance to see his children much, he said, so bringing something home for them to cherish,like the heart-shaped potato, was special.

Except, maybe too special.

"It's still in the house, I was going to cut it up and make some fries but, well, there was no way I was doing that," he laughed.

"It's going to go with the rest of the toys. I think it's still there."

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