Mucking In
1. Secrets, Lies and Pointless Piles of Paperwork
At Dangerfield Farm, tenant farmers Ben and Cicely prepare for their annual organic inspection which is the couples worst nightmare as they hope they will pass after recalling the previous year and the difficult inspector. With every aspect of Ben's farm management going to be scrutinised including his much hated paperwork, Cicely has to forge the visitor book at the last minute after forgetting to keep it up-to-date. The pair also have to contend with daughter Beatrix unexpectedly arriving from London where Ben and Cicely contemplate whether she has broken up with partner Archie. They also ponder whether her attitude of being a loose cannon will throw a spanner in the works with the inspector. Problems mount when the inspector turns up a day earlier than they thought he was coming.
2. Cold Discomfort Farm
Valentine's Day has arrived with Cicely taking to the kitchen to make marmalade. Ben is having to deal with frozen pipes and thirsty cows leaving little time to be romantic. With no hot water available, Beatrix can only complain with her struggling with cold fingers and toes, as well as a general disdain for Valentine's Day and country life in a house where nothing works. Archie turns up at the house hoping to repair his relationship and offers a bunch of carnations to Cicely and roses to Beatrix. Beatrix however is less than pleased to see him after hoping to have some time alone. Ben is set about fixing up the farm, by starting with a hole in the wood shed roof, during which he meets their landlady Natalie Truss for the first time.
3. Pest Control
Chris, a vegan eco-friendly vet student and hunk comes to stay and help out at the farm with the lambing. Cicely finds him strange and controlling as she struggles to cater to vegans and attempts to cope with his rearranging the house, though Beatrix is interested in finding out whether he is single and spends much of her time trying to woo him. Ben is also delighted at the additional help around the place until he takes to rearranging the lambing shed. The news of Chris' arrival has Archie quickly arriving from London where he finds he need not bothered when he reveals his feelings for Jane Austen, while he also ends up in the bad books when he lets Toby the terrier have an encounter with Floss the sheepdog.
4. Making Hay
Natalie takes to bothering Ben as she reveals she hopes to host a posh garden party for her fiftieth birthday - on Ben's favourite heritage meadow and just a couple of weeks before he wants to mow it. Ben has to veto it without upsetting her and the situation has Cicely worried that they will lose the farm. Archie turns up at the farm again and turns to Cicely to help him with roleplaying couples therapy in the hope of healing his relationship with Beatrix. Beatrix however is less than enthused at the idea of using a self-help book. Natalie meanwhile sets her sights on Archie who in turn sets about getting her to change her mind about partying in the meadow at the request of Beatrix who convinces him to use his charm on her.
5. Feeling Sheepish
Ben cuts himself on some barbed wire and seeks Cicely's help while she is conducting a piano lesson who in turn takes to berating him about looking after himself. Cicely also gets an offer from Jasmin, her student, to go to Paris to watch her perform in a concert. Unsure about whether leaving Ben back at home, Beatrix tries to convince her to go and have a go at convincing Ben to join her. Archie meanwhile is taking a walk with Beatrix where the pair come across one of Ben's sheep having got stuck and a rescue mission from Ben results in him injuring his back. The pair still hold hope of their parents going away so they can experience running the farm by themselves though Beatrix contacting Natalie about a broken gate has Ben and Cicely worried about the future.
6. Hold Your Horses
Archie has taken up metal detecting where he discovers a coin though Ben insists he keep it quiet in case Natalie finds out. Natalie soon turns up questioning Ben's retirement plans as she has the idea of setting up a horse stud as his worries return to being evicted again. Cicely is discussing being contacted by Charles, her former partner who she was engaged to for a short time, with news that he is returning to Oxford to retire and wants to catch up. Beatrix takes to encouraging her mother to go and she heads off in an irate mood when Ben takes out his annoyance with Natalie on his wife. Beatrix sets about using a rather reluctant Archie as a means to handle the situation. Cicely and Charles hit it off on their reunion as her relationship with Ben appears to be on the rocks leaving him to a decision about his retirement.