Before you come at me because I listed “Harvest of Friends” as Season 1, Episode 1, the first episode of “Little House on the Prairie.” Please note that I obtained my information from IMDb, Wikipedia, Little House on the Prairie Wiki, and the boxed set. Originally, the pilot was a TV movie and not counted as an “episode.” I know that’s how the streaming services currently list it, but this series was created before the streamers, and we go with the original here at Recapping the Oldies. Now then…

When we last saw the Ingalls family in the Little House on the Prairie Pilot episode, the family had been asked to leave Kansas and were on their way to the next adventure.

In “Harvest of Friends,” the opening credits show the three Ingalls girls running through tall grass while their parents look on with delight. It’s going to be an adventure indeed.

A Harvest of Friends

With the housekeeping out of the way, the show opens with a wagon rolling into town. Narrating Laura marvels (again) that if she had a remembrance book, she would be sure to write about the day the family came to Plum Creek and first saw the house in the ground. She is referring, of course, to the Ingalls family’s original sod house that literally sat on the banks of Plum Creek, Minnesota. A literal house in the mud. Imagine that when there’s heavy rain, the creek rises.

As the credits roll, we see Laura with Jack walking away from the sod house. Narrating Laura observes Pa and Mr. Hanson at the top of the hill, shaking hands. Up the hill, Mr. Hanson is telling Pa to take his time and think about it, but Pa is rushing into yet another decision. He will take the underground sod house, dirt and all. Can’t wait for Ma to sweep that!

Pa catches up to his family, who are soaking their feet in the creek. “We’re home?” Ma asks. Indeed, we are, Ma.

Home at Last

The next day, Pa was up bright and early to work off the lumber he needed at Hanson’s mill. His talk with Mr. Hanson must have also included a job interview, and good on Pa for finding something to do the day after moving to Walnut Grove.

After work, Pa is leading a team of oxen that are pulling his wagon. Pa swapped them out with Mr. Hanson for Pet and Patty. And can we pause for a moment to say thank goodness for Mr. Hanson? A house, land, a job, AND a team of Oxen. He’s taking “neighborly” to a new level! Why, the oxen were strong enough to pull the state of Iowa ten miles into Minnesota! They would do fine for plowing the fields. Let the Harvest of Friends Begin!

Because Pa had a day job, he built the house mostly in the dark, which isn’t recommended. Narrating Laura compared it to growing like a mushroom in the woods. Before long, it was moving in day! Pa carries Ma over the threshold while Laura and Mary climb a precarious ladder to their loft to make the bed. Mary claims it “is the best house we ever had,” which I can very well believe. Laura marvels at having her own window, while Mary thinks it will be nice to hear the rain on the roof rather than having it get them all wet. I agree, Mary. That’s a great perk.

Ma is also in awe of the riches before them. A wood floor and real glass windows! Plus a door that locks and a room for the girls AND for Ma and Pa. Now that’s luxury!

Laura has decided something. “Home is the nicest word there is.” Well said, Half Pint. Carrie just nods and smiles. She does that a lot.

Pa Strikes a Bargain

After the commercial break, Pa is walking through town. He says hello to Mr. Hanson before walking into Oleson’s Mercantile, where Nels Oleson, whom he met at Hanson’s Mill when we weren’t looking, introduced him to his wife, Harriet.

The Olesons aren’t as trusting as Mr. Hanson since they won’t extend enough credit to a stranger to allow him to buy a plow and seed that he will pay for as soon as that first crop comes through. Mrs Oleson tells about families they extended credit to who fled in the middle of the night without paying their debt. Taking issue, Pa leaves.

Fun fact: In real life, Charles Ingalls did exactly that in Burr Oak, Iowa. Maybe that’s why Laura Ingalls Wilder never wrote a book about that period. It was in her annotated biography “Pioneer Girl,” which was finally published a few years ago, and one of the most thorough books written about Laura Ingalls Wilder and her family, “Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder” by Caroline Frasier.

And truth be told, I don’t blame Mrs. Oleson one bit. She doesn’t know this man from Adam, and she’s supposed to extend credit to him? “Harvest of Friends” doesn’t mean giving away the plow and seed to someone you don’t even know.

Storming out, Pa passes another store that has a plow and seed in front of it. Fitting because it’s called the “Feed and Seed.” He also notices that the roof of the shed is beginning to collapse. Winding up to play Let’s Make a Deal, Dad introduces himself to the owner, Liam O’Neil.

Though we can predict what happens next, this is a recap, not a psychic moment, and we’ll spell it out for you. Mr. O’Neil isn’t feeling credit for Pa either, but Pa offers a barter – a new roof in exchange for a plow and seed. After agreeing to also stack grain sacks, a bit of back and forth about what a man’s word is worth, and something about mortgaging his oxen, the two men have a deal.

Later that night, Ma isn’t feeling the deal. Between working for Mr. Hanson and working for Mr. O’Neil, Ma is a little concerned that Pa’s biting off more than he can chew. Pa says he can do it, and Ma believes him.

The next morning, Pa is eager to get started and takes breakfast on the go. Walking to town, he comes across Doc Baker, who already knows Charles’ name. The Doc’s wagon wheel is wonky, and Pa fixes it in exchange for a ride into town. From Mr. Hanson, Doc learned that Pa is a hard worker with a nice family and should be a productive member of the community.

Sweaty armpits Pa is back! He works on the roof until he hears the mill whistle signal that it’s time for work across the road. Leaving sacks of grain unstacked, he heads to his other job, where Doc Baker just happens to give him a bunch of chickens. Just happens to! Ok. Now I’m understanding this “Harvest of Friends” thing. They’re the people who give you free stuff.

After work ends at the mill, we’re going to assume that Pa walked three miles home with all those chickens and then worked on the fields at home until after dark. I’m also thinking that Mr. O’Neil won’t be taking too kindly to Pa not stacking those grain sacks before he left to work for the mill.

The Ingalls Go to Church

On Sunday, the family puts on their Sunday goin’ to meetin’ clothes, but tired Pa falls fast asleep and the family heads to church without him. At church, the Reverend Alden gives a little lecture about the men who are missing while their wives worship. Subtle. On the way home, Laura worries that Pa is going to be punished for his sinning. As they approach their house, they spy Pa working on the Lord’s Day, which should be set aside for work and rest. Ma is not thrilled and gives Pa what for.

Later that night, Ma is reading her Bible in bed, clearly not speaking to Pa. Pa apologizes for not going to church. Ma confesses that she’s worried that Pa is working way too hard, and Pa promises her the worst is over and it won’t be for much longer. Oh, Pa. Have you learned nothing from the Prairie? Murphy’s Law applies. Always.

Pa Ingalls Climbs a Tree

Back from commercial, and Pa’s obviously put quite a bit of work into that roof at the Feed and Seed, but I’m not seeing much in the way of stacking. He heads across the road to the mill, eating on the go again, when Mr. Hanson tells him his lumber is paid off and, beginning at noon, he’s earning actual money, and who would be upset at hearing that? Not Pa, that’s for sure. Mr. Hanson offers Pa a job working half days with him, and Pa thinks that’s a great idea.

Pa comes home and washes up while Ma gets him supper. The girls are in bed early, and Pa goes up to tell them a story about a grumpy farmer. Oh, I get it, this is going to be a story with a moral. Long story short, Pa is done neglecting his family, and he’s going to take the family on a picnic tomorrow.

Tomorrow’s here, and the girls run in the grass while Pa and Ma kiss. Look how happy everyone is! It should be noted that in a prairie with tall grass that isn’t blowing and trees that aren’t swaying, Pa manages to get a kite airborne before it gets caught high up in a tree. Pa climbs the tree to get the kite, and I’m starting to get a bad feeling. And my feeling is right. Falling from a height that might kill most mortals, Pa appears to have broken a rib or two. Laura runs to town to tell Mr. Hanson to fetch Doc Baker, and I can’t help thinking about how Pa promised to have the work done at the Feed and Seed within a couple of weeks or he’ll lose his oxen. This will not go over well with Mr. Liam O’Neil!

Time Runs Out on Pa

Back home, Ma works the plow and oxen before feeding a taped and bedridden Pa some soup.

Uh oh. Mr. O’Neil showed up at the Ingalls house and informs Ma that he’s coming for his oxen. Mr. O’Neil has no empathy when it comes to injuries and takes the oxen from a plowing Ma. Can I just say this?

Called it!

Back inside, Pa, rightfully pissed, dresses and storms off into town, broken ribs and all, with Laura and Mary following. By the time Pa arrives in town, he’s all sweaty and favoring his ribs. Mr. Hanson and Doc Baker both stop what they’re doing to observe Pa walking towards the Feed and Seed, and I am not judging because I know I’d be looking out my window at the action too. There’s nothing townsfolk love more than not minding their own business, and I am here for it!

Mr. Ingalls asked to see the contract and learns that he has until midnight to seal the sack stacking deal. Pa asks for a couple of days, but Mr. O’Neil isn’t feeling it. He wants those oxen. You know what’s going to happen next: Pa starts stacking. I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s only a matter of time before he has company. The prairie is nothing if not predictable.

And before we move on to the next section, let me say this. Pa brought it on himself. He could have stacked it as the seed was delivered instead of leaving it on the dock to pile up. He also could have stacked a little every day. But no. He didn’t do any of it. For two weeks. So while I get Pa’s anger, I also think he owns some of that.

Pa Gets By With a Little Help From His Harvest of Friends

Pa is hurting! He’s having a hard time lifting those grain sacks. He gets to the top of the stack and falls off. Oh no! Get up, Pa! You lose your oxen at midnight! Laura and Mary come running to his aid, and he tells them to go home. Instead, Laura and Mary start stacking the grain bags.

I knew it! Faster than you can say “called it again,” here comes all the men of Walnut Grove – Minus Mr. O’Neil, mind you – to help stack those bags. Pa’s oxen are saved, and the world – and Mr. Liam O’Neil – learn a valuable life lesson about what it means to have a Harvest of Friends.

Mr. O’Neil grovels to the men, but they’re not having it. They keep stacking until the stacking is done. The girls hug Pa as he lies on the ground and watches his new friends do all his work. Pa asks how he can repay the men, and they say they want to hold a plowing and harrowing contest for the church, and they were wondering if they could do it on Pa’s land. Whoa. This is a gift from the heavens above, considering Pa isn’t fit to plow his own land, and now the churchfolk are going to do it for him? Harvest of Friends indeed.

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