Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato?

Answer 1

It's a children's book by Tomie De Paola. The story begins with the laziest man in Ireland (who also has red hair and a beard), who thinks he will die of starvation when his hard-working wife hurts her back. While on his way to church to prepare for certain death, he comes across a leprechaun who tricks Jaime into accepting a potato seed instead of his gold. The seed produces an enormous potato which feeds the entire town until they are sick of eating potatoes. When Jaime plans to plant the potato eye that he has saved, the villagers beg him not to and promise to provide him with all the food he and his wife will ever need.