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For the past few years, we have been processing pigs (and the occasional deer) on a rig in the side yard. The main component was a heavy metal frame from an engine hoist. Mr. Farmer attached a series of pulleys to lift the animal into the air. To the chain or rope, he hung a piece of rebar, bent and sharpened to hang the beast by its ankles. Below the rig was a large, flat rock sitting on logs. The rock was plenty large enough to hold a full-grown hog, and easy to clean with a hose. A barrel of hot water was leaned up against the rock for dipping the animal or burlap sacks to aid in the removal of the hair.
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| The Old Setup This is SO Last Year.... |
The system was not completely without issue. Larger or taller animals would sometimes graze the rock while hanging, so occasional repositioning was needed. The low level of the rock is very hard on the back, requiring constant bending and stretching during the hair removal. Worst of all the rig, while heavy, would occasionally tip if the animal was pulled (i.e. while skinning a deer) creating a dangerous situation and an inconvenient mess of an animal. Clearly there was room for improvement....
(To Be Continued Tomorrow)
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