The pig barn

This is the pig barn.  Its back side is, to say the least, uninteresting.  But it is probably one of the most unique buildings we have ever seen, designed with efficiency and function in mind, turning one of the most unpleasant and labor intensive tasks a farmer could have - raising and slaughtering pigs- into one that was at the very least, a little bit easier.

Though we have no way of knowing its exact age, we estimate that it is at least 150 years old.  It still retains its original slate roof, as well as all its inner workings.  From this angle, it looks quite square and solid.  However.....

.....from this view, its south end, you can see how deceiving initial appearances can be.

 We were provided with no information whatsoever about the pig barn.  In fact, we're not sure if the previous owner even knew what it was.  It just looked like a dilapidated old shack from the outside.  It didn't take Dan long, though, to figure out its purpose once he took a look inside and perhaps that speaks more to the ingenuity of its creator than to Dan's skill as a historian.  Or maybe it's because Dan's raised enough pigs of his own to know just how amazing this building is.

In the background what appears to be a partial wall is really a bay where the farmer would have raised his pigs.  He could feed and water them there and even let them in and out via a little door in the western wall, visible in the first photo.

The previous owner had used the pig bay to raise poultry of some sort, hence the roost.

Opposite the pig sty is a stone and brick oven, complete with iron cauldron and steam hood,
in which the pigs, once slaughtered, would be scalded.

Having been used for the past several years as a dumping ground for scraps of lumber and other
assorted junk makes it hard to see the innovation within this building.  Imagine how
much easier it made life for the farmer.  From piglet to pork chop, all in one building!
It was probably much less traumatic for the pig too!

How to get the pig's heavy carcass to the cauldron though?  With this behemoth wooden winch, of course.

As you can see, the wheel itself is still in very good shape, though the wall behind it is another story.

The original rope, for hauling up those hog carcasses.

The front of the pig barn.  Pig bay to the right, scalding oven and giant wooden winch to the left.

As sad as the pig barn looks right now, we hope to be able to restore it to its original glory some day.  Fortunately, Vermont recognizes the value in preserving historic buildings such as these and its barn preservation program has rescued many wonderful buildings.  On our to do list is seeking out and applying for grants to help rejuvenate this gem.