I used to think breaking new garden ground meant either renting a rototiller or spending weekends sweating behind a shovel. That changed when I decided to try something older than any machine - pigs.
Pigs are natural tillers. Give them food, a bit of shelter, and a patch of untouched ground, and they’ll do what they were born to do: root, dig, turn, and fertilize. With a little structure and planning, I turned that behavior into one of the most efficient tools on my homestead.
This article is about the setup I built, how it works, and what I’ve learned from using it daily.
A pig tiller, sometimes called a pig tractor, is a mobile enclosure designed to let pigs do the hard work of soil preparation. By confining them to a controlled space, their instinctive rooting activity breaks up the turf, turns over weeds, and fertilizes the ground.
Instead of gas or electricity, the system runs on kitchen scraps, garden trimmings, and the pigs’ endless curiosity. After just one or two days in a new spot, the difference is loosened soil, exposed roots, and rich, composting manure left behind.
When I built mine, I wanted it light enough to move alone but strong enough to contain two pigs weighing about 60 pounds each.
The solution was an A-frame style pen mounted on a wooden skid base with added wheels. It’s just wide enough to cover a tilling path about 4 feet across, which is perfect for raised beds and garden strips.
My project's dimensions include length (6 feet), width (4 feet) and height (4.5 feet). That gives the pigs enough room to move without getting lazy or turning it into a wallow.
Base and Frame:
Walls and Roof:
Mobility:
Feeding and Water:
I used a solar-powered light at night once to test predator deterrence, but it’s optional depending on your setup.
I start each morning by pulling the pen forward one length about 3 to 4 feet. That exposes new grass and gives the pigs a fresh surface to work on.
Within a few hours, they’ve started rooting. By the next morning, most of the sod is flipped, compacted weeds are exposed, and the soil is covered in pig manure.
On days when I feed mostly food scraps, their rooting increases. Grains tend to reduce activity, so I adjust depending on the soil condition I’m after.
Additionally, the pigs never stay in one spot more than 24 hours. Leaving them longer risks compacting the soil or damaging it with too much nitrogen. A short stay keeps them eager and efficient.
Once a section is rooted, I move the tiller forward and leave the disturbed soil to settle for about a week. During that time, I rake it lightly and sometimes add compost or mulch on top. After a rain or two, the soil is perfect for planting.
I’ve prepped ground for raised vegetable beds, pumpkin patches or even over crop test plots. This spring, I planted directly into one of the pig-tilled rows without even turning it over again.
One of the biggest lessons was realizing pigs can outsmart your build if they’re bored. Make sure the enclosure is secure and move it often. I also learned that smaller pigs (under 100 pounds) are ideal for this setup as they’re easy to manage and less likely to break out or destroy the structure.
Another surprise was how efficient the system is at reducing waste. Kitchen scraps, peels, ends, and even weeds became part of the pigs' diet, which then fed my soil in return.
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