Upon being sold a piece of land, Almanzo is eager to begin building a home for him and Laura. He hires his friend Harv Miller to assist him with his crop. Meanwhile, Laura is offered a teaching job at a faraway school.

Almanzo's dreams of building a home do not go as planned, forcing him to postpone the wedding. Laura has a way for them to earn some money, but his rejection of her idea starts a feud between them.

Jonathan and Andy Garvey move to Sleepy Eye in a quest to rebuild their lives. Jonathan decides to become a deputy sheriff to clean up the town of crime, but his job is a dangerous one that ultimately threatens his young son.

A former football star settles back into his childhood town of Walnut Grove with his wife and son. His zealous coaching is in conflict with Laura's schooling, and his interest in Albert's talent alienates his own son.

The orphanage in Sleepy Eye faces a difficult situation when two young brothers meet with a potential adoptive family. The younger child refuses to speak and shows symptoms of emotional trauma, so the family is only interested in taking the older child. Rather than be separated, the boys run away to the nearby blind school, where the kindly Houston agrees to help. Although the aging Houston would love to adopt them himself, it creates problems that he cannot handle by himself, so Charles and Jonathan must intervene.

16-year-old Annie Crane is a rising artist in Walnut Grove, where she lives with her adoptive parents. When her talent lands her an exhibition in the city, the advertisement draws the attention of her biological mother.

Newlyweds Laura and Almanzo have been bickering more than usual lately, and it escalates when Laura suspects Manly of unfaithfulness.

Albert tries to impress a penpal he figures he'll never see.

Charles and Almanzo expand their business by delivering goods to Sleepy Eye. After arguing about the quickest way to get there, they decide to make it a race.

An accident restores Adam's eyesight.

With his vision restored, Adam is eager to fulfill his dream of becoming an attorney. Meanwhile, Mary is divided in her enthusiasm about his prospects.

A female activist arrives in Walnut Grove to encourage the men to share equal property rights with their wives. After getting into a huge fight about it with her husband, Harriet Oleson goes to live at the hotel. Caroline decides to follow Harriet's lead.

When Percival's parents, Benjamin and Edna, arrive for a visit, Harriet and Benjamin clash miserably over their grandchild's religious upbringing.

Almanzo gets suckered into watching his brother Royal's two bratty boys.

Former boxer Joe Kagan moves to Sleepy Eye to help with the maintenance of the blind school while Adam and Houston are out of town. Joe is still in love with Hester Sue, but she is being courted by another man.

Laura resigns from her teaching position when she is forced to integrate French and art appreciation into the curriculum. Mrs. Oleson takes over the position.

Albert's budding romance with a young girl is complicated when it is discovered that she is expecting.

Albert's girlfriend's pregnancy brings chaos into both their lives.

Adam is officially a lawyer, but his client prospects are slim.

When Laura announces her pregnancy, Caroline believes that she herself is also expecting—until Doc Baker confirms it is menopause.

While making an out-of-town delivery, Albert and Charles meet and travel with the Cooper family. An accident occurs en route with the parents, leaving Charles in charge of their two children.

The Cooper children go home with Charles, but as they're adjusting, a set of adoptive parents arrive.