A Wisconsin farming family takes on the struggles and rewards of rural life. Martinius Jacobson (Edward G. Robinson) is a humble Norwegian farmer, working his small farm with only the help of his wife, Bruna (Agnes Moorehead), and his young daughter, Selma (Margaret O'Brien). Selma and her cousin, Arnold (Jackie "Butch" Jenkins), witness many dramatic episodes over the course of a year, including a neighbor's barn fire, a raging flood and a brief visit from a traveling circus elephant.