Pictured above: Multiple trailer loads were needed to deliver 53,000 pounds of potatoes to churches and their communities in North and Central Florida. Each bag weighed about 2,200 pounds. Photo submitted

HASTINGS, FL –This is a story about Gator Taters, a Florida Baptist Disaster Relief truck, Potato Fest and a God ordained encounter that resulted in the donation and distribution of approximately 53,000 pounds of potatoes to churches and their communities in North and Central Florida.

These potatoes got their nickname – Gator Tators – because this large-scale potato distribution is the result of a partnership between the University of Florida’s Hastings Agricultural Extension Center and the Florida Baptist Convention. The Gator is the UF mascot.

The potatoes – donated by UF – were distributed to some 40 churches in Florida via a flatbed truck from Florida Baptist Disaster Relief, courtesy of the Florida Baptist Convention.

It was that truck that delivered a 2,200 bag of potatoes to Pastor Justin Brown at Gadara Baptist Church in Keystone Heights, as well as other churches.

“It was the biggest sack of potatoes I’ve ever seen,” he said of the large sack holding all 2,200 pounds that arrived on a pallet.

That is a lot of potatoes, as anyone would agree, so Brown began thinking of what the church might do with all those potatoes.

“We wanted to do something more than just food distribution,” he said. “What might this look like?”

The church decided to do Potato Fest, a community event where its members made potato dishes of all types for attendees to sample.

“We had everything from potato pancakes, potato dumplings, smaller potatoes cut in half as deviled potatoes, French fries, tater tots, homemade potato chips, potato salad and more. We also had a baked potato bar with all the toppings.”

In addition to the fellowship and tasty potato dishes, there was also a bounce house, yard games and more, making it a very popular community event.

“It ended up being a great connecting point for our church and a great service to the community,” Brown said. “We had people at our church who had never set foot on our campus before. We were able to make that connection using potatoes.”

The idea was to host the fest, invite the community and give away 5-pound bags to attendees. But dry weather delayed the harvest, and the church had to invite attendees to come back later that week to get their potatoes. And when they did, the church had their potatoes ready, plus a giveaway that included easy potato recipes, church information and service times. Brown said he wants to make the event even bigger next year.

Some might say it was a chance meeting that got this big potato partnership going, but Randy Knepper, former Second Vice President of the Florida Baptist Convention, says it was a God ordained encounter.

“This was not preplanned but it sure was God ordained,” Knepper said. “You have to take advantage of what God puts before you.”

He and a friend were in the Melrose area last year looking at property when they saw a man standing in his yard and they stopped to ask him a question about the neighborhood. That man was Zack Scarbrough who is the director of the UF HAEC, and oversees the 60-acre potato research farm.  As they chatted about his job, they learned about the large harvest of potatoes that were expected and how the research farm has to donate them because they could not be sold.

Knepper asked if they could be donated to churches. Scarbrough said yes and that led to a meeting at the research farm with Marc Johnston, Community Ministries Catalyst with the Convention. It was Johnston who arranged for the Florida Baptist Disaster Relief flatbed truck and driver to transport the Gator Taters once they were harvested in late May. Pallets and large potato bags were donated by Asa Greer of the St. Johns River Baptist Association.

Not only were these quality potatoes, but the harvest featured about 500 different varieties that were being grown at the farm for researchers including the Atlantic, known for its chip quality, Yukon Gold, reds and many more. Researchers only use a very small percentage of the harvest for their work, which leaves many that can be donated.

“We were blown away,” Knepper said. “I can’t tell you how thankful we are to UF for doing this. What a blessing.”

Johnston coordinated and assisted with the transport of four large shipments of potatoes which were then delivered to churches in the various areas for distribution to their communities. 

“The Lord took that and blessed it,” Johnston said. “I don’t know if anyone has come to know the Lord because of that, but I guarantee you there lots of seeds planted and lots of good public relations through that as well as helping folks who were in need.”  

With the success of this year’s potato project, there is already talk about doing this again with next year’s potato harvest, as well as other produce that becomes available.

“This is a relationship we don’t want to let go of,” Scarbrough said. “It helps us and it helps churches put these potatoes in the hands of people who need them.”