As regular readers of this column will attest, I can sometimes be a pillock! This achieves two objectives, firstly it irritates people and secondly ends in a public humiliation/apology from me. Yesterday I broke a cardinal rule and was was rude about the love of someone’s life…

The constant love of Otto’s life,
Is chunky (and I don’t mean a wife!),
Her proportioned curves which he likes,
end in long straight-thru exhaust pipes!
Sadly his motorbike wasn’t feeling well,
a clutch seizure was giving her hell.
Along came me in pillock mode,
Suggested he had a forklift load!
I offered a push with my tractor,
(an irritating force-ten factor).
I didn’t know when to quit,
So sorry Otto for being a git!

To make things worse I didn’t have a picture of his bike, so had to find some exhaust pipes for a photo! Will rectify as soon as possible!
Have a great day and remember never be rude about anyones pride and joy

© Baldock Bard 2018
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The Baldock ‘Boutique’ Boot Sale
STILL HERE AFTER 26 YEARS!
starts 7am Every Saturday
until October 20th^thOctober 2018
Buyers Park and Enter FREE!
www.u-boot.co.uk

It is the friendliest bargain bonanza anywhere!
Feed your hungry sat-nav with SG7 6RD

The other day I was in a northern town and next to a car park was a large bougainvillea bush in full flower. I stopped to take a photo, it was only then that I noticed it was covered in butterflies, most notably Red Admirals…

Bougainvillea blooms on an Alnwick street,
a peaceful sight to make my day complete,
I find it strange that butterflies don’t ever make a sound,
just work in silence so they don’t disrupt those around.

So this Monday morning,
as we chase our distant prize,
let’s do it with a sense of peace,
just like the butterflies!

May your Monday be peaceful, safe and silent!

© Baldock Bard 2018
For more from the Baldock Bard click on ‘Home’ above

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Twitter: @baldockbard

The Baldock ‘Boutique’ Boot Sale
STILL HERE AFTER 26 YEARS!
starts 7am Every Saturday
until October 20th^thOctober 2018
Buyers Park and Enter FREE!
www.u-boot.co.uk

It is the friendliest bargain bonanza anywhere!
Feed your hungry sat-nav with SG7 6RD


Most parents teach their children the benefits of sharing at an early age. For the last thirty-odd years we’ve shared the farm with school children and it has been one of the most enjoyable things I’ve ever done. Not only have they enjoyed experiencing a day in the countryside, but they also keep me on my toes…

When we walked through the wood,
I asked “Who saw the bear!”
one child answered: “I did,
it’s just over there!”

Like a fool,
I turned to stare,
“What are you looking for?
there’s nothing there!”

With grateful thanks to St Pauls School, London, for giving me such a great day out.

© Baldock Bard 2018
For more from the Baldock Bard click on ‘Home’ above

Facebook: Baldock Bard
Twitter: @baldockbard

The Baldock ‘Boutique’ Boot Sale
STILL HERE AFTER 26 YEARS!
starts 7am Every Saturday
until October 20th^thOctober 2018
Buyers Park and Enter FREE!
www.u-boot.co.uk

It is the friendliest bargain bonanza anywhere!
Feed your hungry sat-nav with SG7 6RD


Recently I have been trying to write ‘better stuff’ by occasionally reading verse written by famous poets. I have sometimes enjoyed reading their words. Mostly I’ve been transported back to a dim and distant school day, where poetry was learned by rote and failure to recite was a cause for embarrassment and taunts in front of the whole school. However I’m still in awe of some Irish writers…

I wish that I were Irish,
a drunken poet I’d be,
write at night ‘with Guinness’
be feted by the BBC.
Schoolchildren would analyse,
every word that I did write,
whilst their teachers kept a secret,
(It was mainly shite!)

As you may be able to tell, this was written with help from quite a few cans from St James’s Gate, Dublin 8! Sláinte!

© Baldock Bard 2018
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One of the great problems when you have the attention span of a gnat and thoughts are coming thick and fast is predictive text. My spelling, on the whole, isn’t too bad, it’s meaning that gets lost when technology takes over…

I hate predictive tusks,
particularly when in a Harry,
I find it irrigating,
I suppose I shouldn’t worry!

I guess it helps with smelling,
if you nose not what to say,
I guess I’ll tell the Ruth
Or you may suspect fowl play!

Have a grate Munday and teak kare!

© Baldock Bard 2018
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I’m going to be in trouble with my granddaughter. In her nativity-based and chocolate-free Advent calendar, I have added a guest. Having been an angel in her primary school’s nativity the other day, she now knows pretty much all there is to know about the scene and any attempt by me to alter the participants is swiftly shot down in flames…

There must have been a goat in the stable,
along with the sheep and the cows,
but theologians have ignored it,
not given the ‘What Why and Hows!’
So lets hear it for the Christmas goat,
he’s been left out for far to long,
and add him to the animals,
celebrated in nativity song!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful Christmas and festive season. Stay safe and happy. BB.

© Baldock Bard 2017
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E-mail: simon.holtom@btconnect.com

Yesterday when I tested the beans in the field I was surprised to find they were under 16% moisture. The reading had hardy shifted all week from mid-16’s and suddenly they announced that they were ripe enough to harvest! So we dashed around and with a whoop and a holler, started after teatime…

We started combining beans around half-past five,
moisture under 16, ‘Let’s go drive!’
Going great guns until half-past seven,
it grew dark I looked up to heaven!
“It’s great being back on harvest again!”
at that moment it began to rain!
I uttered some words I daren’t write here,
Harvest 17, a stop-start year!

May your harvest progress with joy and your yields be plentiful, whatever you do and wherever you live!

© Baldock Bard 2017
For more from the Baldock Bard click on ‘Home’ above

Facebook: Baldock Bard
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E-mail: simon.holtom@btconnect.com

The Baldock ‘Boutique’ Boot Sale
STILL HERE AFTER 25 YEARS!
It is the friendliest bargain bonanza anywhere!
Feed your hungry sat-nav with SG7 6RD

2017 Season
EVERY SATURDAY MORNING!
until mid-October
With more FREE parking and a field full of bargains!
www.u-boot.co.uk

I used to enjoy a trip to the supermarket and used to ‘reward myself’ with a milk drink plus something from the biscuit aisle. However since I was recently diagnosed as being diabetic, all I seem to see when I walk down the aisle are things I’m no longer allowed…

I wandered down the aisle,
(not in a wedding dress!)
looking at labels on biscuits,
tempted I must confess.
No more Wagon Wheels,
nor Kit-Kats or Party Rings too,
Club Biscuits and Digestives are out,
My predicament I now rue!

The other night I dreamt,
a whole packet of biscuits I munched,
I even dreamed about the taste,
as through the lot I crunched!
When I woke up in the morning,
and did my first blood test,
I was surprised to find it normal,
I suppose it was for the best!

A little of what you like does you good (or not in my case), have one for me!

© Baldock Bard 2017
For more from the Baldock Bard click on ‘Home’ above

Facebook: Baldock Bard
Twitter: @baldockbard
E-mail: simon.holtom@btconnect.com

The Baldock ‘Boutique’ Boot Sale
STILL HERE AFTER 25 YEARS!
It is the friendliest bargain bonanza anywhere!
Feed your hungry sat-nav with SG7 6RD

2017 Season
EVERY SATURDAY MORNING!
until mid-October
With more FREE parking and a field full of bargains!
www.u-boot.co.uk

This is a fascinating time of the year on the farm, crops are changing colour and harvest is on its way! This year it looks as if we are about six weeks early, mainly due to the lack of rain in the spring. This week I flew the drone over the farm and the land revealed some secrets from 400ft…

I flew the drone from the top of West Field,
to spot irregularities that might affect yield.
What was that line that stretched across the crop?
then I remembered: a former bird nesting plot!
To try and encourage the ground nesting bird,
we left some field un-cropped (about a third),
The other year it was so wet,
cultivations made a mess I won’t forget,
but come this year with a lack of rain,
the area seems more productive again.
But we won’t know until we erase all doubt,
when harvest starts and we get the combine out!

Never a dull moment when you till the soil (or fly a drone!)

© Baldock Bard 2017
For more from the Baldock Bard click on ‘Home’ above

Facebook: Baldock Bard
Twitter: @baldockbard
E-mail: simon.holtom@btconnect.com

The Baldock ‘Boutique’ Boot Sale
STILL HERE AFTER 25 YEARS!
It is the friendliest bargain bonanza anywhere!
Feed your hungry sat-nav with SG7 6RD

2017 Season
EVERY SATURDAY MORNING!
until mid-October
With more FREE parking and a field full of bargains!
www.u-boot.co.uk

Mrs Bard says she’s not sure who is the biggest child when we go shopping with our four-year-old granddaughter. Yesterday Child 1 was dressed like a princess, complete with tiara, while Child 2 was wearing farmerish/pirate clothing. One delightful assistant on the cake counter suggested that Mrs B may have qualified for a large glass of wine at teatime! I couldn’t understand why…

Princess or Pirate? It’s your call.
Walk the plank in the morning,
or lose a slipper fleeing the ball?
Wear Princess outfits in the High Street,
no pirate ship just a car.
Push the trolley in the shops,
annoy a 4 year-old by only saying “Aaaargh!”

© Baldock Bard 2017
For more from the Baldock Bard click on ‘Home’ above

Facebook: Baldock Bard
Twitter: @baldockbard
E-mail: simon.holtom@btconnect.com

The Baldock Boot Sale
SG7 6RD
is the friendliest bargain bonanza anywhere!
BACK AFTER EASTER
From April 22^nd to mid-October 2017
With more FREE parking and a field full of bargains!
www.u-boot.co.uk