Bert and Joe both do well in the Ploughing Competition; Clarrie and Susan plot a reconciliation.

Radio Times: Joe has to do lines.

Characters: Clarrie, David, Ed, Joe, Lynda, Marjorie, Mike, Susan

• Writing letters does not come easy to Ed but it has to be done: Clarrie insists. He does not see the point as he has already told Emma that he is sorry but it is not for Ed to question the court.
• Bert is ploughing a mean furrow in the Ploughing Competition but might be a bit slow. Mike wants to stay and watch but he has quite a bit of work to do building the bonfire for tomorrow.
• Ed’s first attempt at the letter does not pass inspection, so he has to copy it out again, and again … until even the turkeys can read it; well, at least until Emma and the Youth Offending Officer can. Clarrie hopes it will also help Neil and Eddie to sort out their differences.
• Mike’s enjoyment of the competition is impaired by being taken to task by Lynda: because he has built the bonfire so early, there may be hedgehogs which have curled up inside! It might rain too!
• Clarrie makes a brief call on Susan before going to the competition. She was pleasantly surprised by Neil earlier at Willow Farm: he offered to help with the turkeys, indeed he took over, and he promised to help Joe too. Susan explains that Janet had made him think, so they wonder if they cannot use tomorrow’s bonfire party to get Eddie to mellow too.
• In the Ploughing Competition, Bert came a creditable second and Joe got a special award in the vintage class; both congratulate the other warmly over a pint.
• In her best “I told you so” voice, Lynda draws Mike’s attention to the fact that it is pouring with rain. The prospect of barbecued hedgehog may be amusing to David but certainly not to Marjorie and Lynda, who will inspect the bonfire herself for hedgehogs tomorrow. In the end Mike is worn down: he will take the bonfire apart tomorrow and (if he has time) rebuild it.