On the farm the work is never done, there is always something that has to be replaced, repaired or built from scratch. And when it comes to big jobs needing doing, sometimes biting down and just doing it is the only way forward.

Quite some time back I decided that it was time to build new pigsty's on the farm, the old dilapidated pigstys had reached a point of being beyond repair, and use for that matter. So we started planning and preparing to build the new pigstys, after months of intensive labor, blood sweat and tears - we finally managed to get it done.

Although the end product was really great I still wasn't completely happy. The pigsty that was built up from bricks that we had made on the farm as well as recycled metal that we picked up really cheap from an old torn down factory in an industrial area close by, housed 5 rooms, including two nursery rooms, complete with built in food and water troughs, accessible water as well as drainage systems for cleaning.

This construction could easily house up to 8 Landrass pigs at any given stage (excluding piglets) and although it was a practical solution to housing our pigs, it didn't exactly make for happy little piggies.

So we then set out to extend the pigsty with an add-on outdoor feature so that the pigs could leave their rooms and indulge in a little playtime outside. This also comes in very handy when it is time for us to thoroughly clean the cages out.

We started by taking stock of the metal bars that were left from the previous build, and then calculated the size of the structure that we would be able to build with the materials at hand. Once we figured out what we would be able to build, we sized and measured the terrain adjacent to the pigsty, where we were planning to extend outwards.

Once this was done, the next task was to dig out the foundation trenches. And because there would be no flooring cast on the outside extension, it was important to dig the foundation trenches deep, so that once the parameter foundations are in place that the pigs would not be able to go underneath the fencing by digging shallow holes.

Next the metal bars were cut to size, first for the corners as well as the stabilizing bars, These were then put into place and leveled before they were concreted into place. Thereafter we filled the foundation trenches (dug out to 1 meter) with concrete mix. While we let the concrete set on that we focused our attention back on measuring and cutting the rest of the metal that we would need for the horizontal slats, so that they would be ready to be welded into place once the concrete was completely dry and set.

The planning of horizontal slats was done baring in mind the size to height ratio of the pigs. Meaning that the bottom spacing is slightly smaller, with the second spacing a bit further apart, and the third spacing reasonably wide. This ensures that the smaller pigs that can reach the first spacing can not escape through it, while at the same time allowing fresh air to move through the pen at all times. And I am sure that you might be thinking that we might have gotten the same amount of airflow using wire fencing - but when it comes to Landrass pigs, I can assure you that, that would not have kept them in the pen, in fact if they want to get out - few things will.

Once all of the horizontal slats were welded into place, and we were happy with it, we continued by adding a lifting and a hinging gate to the structure - both with securing latches to keep them closed when they need to be. This allows easy access into the pen, and also makes it more manageable should the pigs need to get moved.

Lastly a coat of red oxide paint was slapped on to any exposed metal to ensure that rust and corrosion does not eat away at all of our hard work. And finally after weeks of elbow grease, we managed to complete the outside playpen for the piggies.

The end goal being to build more camps like these running out of the primary one as time goes on, so that we can rotate the pigs to one camp while establishing vegetation in the others - the vegetation that we intend to grow here will be short cycled soft vegetable crops, then once harvested, the pigs will be able to go in and shuffle their way through the remainder of the crop, clear out the land for the next plant, while fertilizing the soil. This will then add to our sustainable gardening while creating a source of nutrient rich fresh food for the pigs in the process - it is a wonderful way of making use of our own natural resources that would otherwise be laid to waste. And all this while our piggies gets to play outside - as the saying goes...

As happy as a pig in mud!