A 72-foot-long, bright red truck carrying a potato that weighs four tons will be making its first trip to the Butler Farm Show in Connoquenessing Township.

The Big Idaho Potato Truck, which is in its eighth summer cross-country adventure, is set to be at the farm show all day Wednesday, Aug. 7.

Ken Metrick, Butler Farm Show board secretary, worked to organize the potato truck's visit.

“It's eye-catching,” Metrick said. “It's a giant potato.”

But the potato, which is equivalent in weight to 21,562 medium-sized potatoes and would take around 7,000 years to grow, according to the Famous Idaho Potato Tour's website, is also educational.

Metrick said it will help to teach about the importance of potatoes in a person's diet.

“We're all about promoting agriculture,” he said. “They're promoting potatoes, whether they're Pennsylvania potatoes or Idaho potatoes.”

The Big Idaho Potato Truck started as a one-year campaign in 2012 to recognize the Idaho Potato Commission's 75th anniversary.

Sue Kennedy, who has been doing public relations for the Idaho Potato Commission for over 20 years, helped develop the idea of the truck and its tour.

“We were like, 'Let's bring that to life,' and we did,” Kennedy said.

She said the commission works to promote and protect the “Grown in Idaho,” seal found on genuine Idaho potatoes. The truck and its tour serves to promote these potatoes.

While it began as a one-year undertaking, it stuck.

“We started getting requests from people all over the country,” she said. “We go to events of all sizes. We pretty much go anywhere we're invited.”

The truck has been in the Memorial Day Parade in Washington, D.C., and the World's Shortest St. Patrick's Day Parade in Boulder, Colo.

The national tour usually kicks off in March, around St. Patrick's Day, and wraps up in September.

“It's a long six months on the road,” Kennedy said.

After the tour, the truck treks back to Idaho for local events, charity work and some maintenance, of course.

But it has stayed in high demand since its conception. Kennedy said people have requested dates to schedule the truck through 2022.

All the miles have worn out the potato, though. Last year, the original potato was retired, and a new potato was constructed out of fiberglass.

While they are still working out the kinks, Kennedy said the original potato will soon be available to rent and stay in through Airbnb.

This year, an all-female team is on the road with the truck, which she was excited about.

“It was a coincidence,” Kennedy said. “We've always had a combination.”

She said only 6 percent of truck drivers are women, so it was exciting when truck driver Melissa Bradford joined the other women on the road this year.

“It's like total girl power,” she said. “The three of them have forged this awesome friendship.”

Before the Butler Farm Show, the truck will be in Dublin, Ohio, at the Dublin Irish Festival, and after the farm show, it will head to Henry, Ill., for the Henry Summer Festival.

“It's never been in the area before,” Metrick said. “It may not be here for a few years, so come out and see it.”