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It was 1984, and I was exploring the then undeveloped area of what is now Wolf Pen Gap the renowned ATV Park. Back then it was just a series of old logging roads, that followed Gap Creek and Board Camp Creek. I would ride my mountain bike in from Heath Valley where we were building our home in the woods. Now I have never been much of a rock collector, and probably could not find a valuable stone if I tried. But sometimes just being in the wrong place at the wrong time ends up being right. I was attempting to cross one of the creeks on my mountain bike, and had popped my front wheel up on the other side when all of a sudden my rear wheel slid out and I went down in the creek. No harm done to bike or body. As I was getting up, something caught my eye. It was up on the bank, and I could not believe my eyes! What was a Potato doing out here 12 miles from anything. It was nestled in the pine needles, just like an egg in a nest. So what to do.... Well much to my and surely your amazement, I walk over and without a second thought, I picked up the Potato. Boy was I in for a surprise. That Potato weighed as much as a rock. Well gosh darn it, that Potato is a rock. I stuck it in my hip pack and finished my adventure without any other odd occurrences. I did keep glancing around, thinking I might find another Rock that looked like a Potato. When I got home I took the Rock out to look and to see if maybe my eyes had been playing tricks. I washed off the dirt and much to my amazement and surely to yours, this thing looked even more like a Potato than ever. It has a couple of small dents, like "eyes" in a potato, and even has a small groove in one side that looks like a potato that had taken some damage to the skin. Later I showed Susie my treasure, and she was very impressed with my find. Or at least she acted that way. She sure knows how to stroke my ego. Since that day I have dedicated myself to finding more rocks that look like food. Maybe a rock that looks like a strip of bacon, or maybe a rock that looks like a carrot would be neat! But as the decades have passed, I have come to the conclusion that there just are not that many rocks that look like food. That's what makes this rock so special. I have had some good times with the Potato Rock. My favorite is playing practical jokes on unsuspecting house guests. Aha! Let's cook some baked Potatoes. Imagine the surprise on their faces when they try to cut into their fresh served Baked Potato. Hey! This thing is as hard as a rock! Mu aaah haaa haaa haaaaaaa!
Below is a larger photo of my Potato Rock in all it's glory!. Magnificent, isn't it. Many have offered me money for my unique rock, but I have declined. Sure I could take their measly hundred dollars, and then what would I have. I would spend the money foolishly and I would no longer have my beloved rock.
Contact me: Mike Kelsey at kelseym@omniark.com if you have a rock that looks like food.
Check this out! A Real Per mineralized Potato? (Petrified Potato) I have had about 5 people share their potato rocks that they have found. This one is worth posting. The owner of this rock had it tested by the Museum of Natural History, and with microscopic examination, they declared that it showed like structure to a real potato. No carbon dating was done. The owner states the Museum offered to buy the rock for $1,500.00 dollars. The owner declined the offer but would be willing to part for a "Very Significant" larger dollar amount. Were talking big buck here!
By R. S. "The Spud" It was given to me in 1980 and I had it examined at the Museum of Natural History in "82. The three persons there offered me $1,500.00 for the thing and I turned it down knowing that if was worth a thousand...it was likely to be worth ten thousand. I've recently search for auction links through high end organizations to try and get the very most out of it. Well, I approached the Millionaires Club to ask if they wouldn't mind posting it mind one of their links to sell and got some interesting replies. No offers though. A self-made Millionaire in Canada has been fascinated with it and assisted me with the suggestion to post it with the Billionaires Club on possible links that sell Estates, Manors , Islands, etc. stating that "Millionaires don't like to lose their Millions" and that "Billionaires make a Million in less than a week". Pretty sensible thinking. Also said a Million wasn't high enough for eccentric wealth...and 5 million was a scary figure, so, 3.5 was set for the asking price on the Spud. I've receive two interesting replies. One, at last contact, asking if my price was firm? It's been less than two weeks since our last e-mail and no new news on the matter of reply. And Another Potato Rock! MY POTATO ROCK STORY By Benjamin C. Wright Several years ago in the nineties, I and a friend were touring an old Virginia Plantation. We took a break from the walking and sat on one of the benches along the path. After a minutes rest, I decided to take a walk in the field behind us, and look for some unique stones or rocks to take back as souvenirs. I usually do this when away on a vacation.
When I let him hold it, he said, "It's a rock or a rock potato." We sat and gave it a serious examination and agreed that it was in fact, a petrified potato.
This remains for me to get done. My research reveals that petrification can occur when the cellular cavities of an organic object become saturated with a liquidized mineral,(usually Quartz or Silica), and become hardened over time and conditions of burial and climate changes. On close examination you can see externally, that my rock is as a potato due to: 1.Color, shape & size; 2. Various skin textures and color tones; 3. Potato "eyes"; 3. Fiber-like material in apertures; White "meat" areas where skin removed. 1. Pseudomorph: A mineral possessing the external form characteristic of another.
Another Potato Rock Story PETRIFIED POTATO I've found a lot of strange things over the years, and this Petrified Potato has to rank in the Top Ten strangest finds. Considering how many states I have traveled through and/or lived in, I hope you will forgive me if I can't be entirely sure where I found this odd bit of History. All I know is that it had to be somewhere between Phoenix, Arizona and Crescent City, California. I have kept this Potato safe and happy for over 15 years.
It looks just like a standard garden-variety potato. Same color. Same indentations you would expect. But it's so light! And it's certainly no longer edible. After reading the potato stories on this web site, my husband and I have decided to have someone take a look at it. I'll let you know what we find out. Annette Halischak Steubenville, OH
Stick a fork in it! Posted January, 2008
Michael
Dinner is Ready Posted April, 2008
I found this rock this morning while digging up bushes and my girlfriend posed it next to a steak and salad to bring the picture to her job at a restaurant...everyone was fooled. Thanks for your website and please feel free to add our "potato" to your picture collection. Thanks, Jim
F Posted May, 2008 I found one in my garden today. It is also white on the inside. Found it near Lake Superior. Larry Mantta
Another Potato Rock found in a Garden
Like you I love my potato rock too!!! Julie |
Here is a group picture of my Potato Rock hanging out with a couple of real spuds. Which one do you think is the Potato Rock. 
So I have built a Web Page for my Potato Rock with hopes that others can marvel in this mystery of
creation. Is it a fossilized potato? Is it a petrified potato? Well whatever it is, it is very cool, and it is mine. I also hope to find others that have found
rocks that look like food. So if your out there, and you have a rock that looks like an egg, or a lamb chop, contact me and we will start a "ROCKS THAT LOOK LIKE FOOD MUSEUM. 
As I walked and looked, I spotted a potato lying on the ground. I thought
that odd, and went to pick it up. To my surprise it was heavy and hard more like a rock. On quick examination it had all the characteristics of a potato. I
walked back to our bench, held it up and asked my friend, "What is this?" He said, "A potato, of course"
I have since over the years shown it to hundreds of people, with the "before
and after" approach, and every one of them has concluded that it is a potato rock. (That is, except for a couple "experts".) Seeking validation, I took my
potato rock to a local science museum. They concluded that it was just a quartz rock called Chalcedony, and not a fossilized potato. I could not
agree, for "seeing is believing". I looked up Chalcedony and found that this mineral frequently pseudomorphs 
The Potato is 5 3/4" long and about 3" wide. A good sized baker. It
weighs only 4 ounces.
Hi, 
inish Your Potato!
Hello I found this rock while watching my husband roto-till our
garden. I thought it was a real potato he had tilled up. What a surprise when I picked it up and it was cold and rock hard. When i show it to people they always ask me if it could be a petrified potato. I tell them
anything is possible. The first image shows an "eye" the second shows a long blemish. one end is even a little wrinkled looking as if it was beginning to spoil.  |
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