In 1905, Laura's assignment to write an article for the Mansfield, Missouri, newspaper about the new school teacher leads her to start an unpopular crusade to get the farm children into school.
In 1884, when Laura, Manly, and their daughter Rose come from South Dakota to Mansfield, Missouri, looking for a better life, Laura's outspoken articles against a local timberman cause some problems.
In Mansfield, Missouri, during the harsh winter of 1905, Laura, her family, and her neighbors help each other survive and discover the true meaning of Christmas.
While life goes on in Mansfield, Missouri, Laura agrees to help her elderly father fulfill his dream of returning to their former home on the Kansas prairie.