It's show day, 1929, and the Balfour family; Anne, Walter, Norman, Kitty, Elsa and Robert (Bob) are off to Tuparra to have fun on what is always the happiest and best day of the year for the children. Dressed in their much-mended clothes, this desperately poor family are excited about the prospect of their entries in the cakes, vegetables, creative writing and 'best pony'competitions possibly winning a prize. For the somewhat dour Walter Balfour, the show means that if his superb sow, Leopoldina, wins the blue ribbon, one of his neighbours will pay him 20 pounds for her and the Balfours need the money to pay the monthly mortgage on their small, unyielding farm or they will be out on the street.
The Balfours are now installed at "Samarkand", the finest house in Adelaide. After several months of residence, Anne, Norman and the girls have found happiness but Walter and Bob are both full of discontent and long for the country life again.