A New Hog Hut

Today I finished my most recent project. It is a shelter for our hogs. Perhaps it will be used by one of the gilts when she farrows. I can hope.



The shelter measures 8 feet across, 6 feet deep and about 4 feet tall at the front. It is made of treated lumber throughout, glued and screwed together. It is built "Hog Tough"! It should last for a while. I can hope.



If you have any experience with full-grown swine, you know that they are very strong. When you factor in the weight of a mature boar (600 lbs +) you know that the equipment used with/by them needs to be strong and sturdy.

It is on skids so that it can be pulled to where it is needed. Today I pulled it out to the pasture with my Ford Ranger 2WD truck. Since the hogs are not yet in that pasture, the truck did just fine. I expect I will need a tractor to move it the next time.

Yesterday I was in Lowes to buy the two sheets of 1/2 inch treated plywood for the sides. These are displayed above the 3/4 inch treated plywood. I was about to reach above my head to grab the top sheet when a man said, "Can I give you a hand with that." I turned expecting to see a Lowes employee. Nope, just a guy shopping with his wife. I said "Yes, thank you very much!"

Together we grabbed the top sheet and saw that it was junk so we set it aside; same with the second. We loaded the next two sheets, one at a time, on to my cart. Again I thanked him and he went on to catch up with his wife.

After paying for my materials I went to my truck. Before I could get hold of the first sheet, the man getting into the vehicle next to me said, "Hi, can I give you a hand with that?" He was not a Lowes employee. Together we loaded the plywood into my truck and I thanked him. And I told him that another stranger had helped me get the plywood in the store.

As I was getting into my truck I was counting my blessings, having been helped by these two strangers. Then I was struck by this thought: Maybe I am starting to look my age. I can hope not!