David continues in his reverie; Kate listens to some sound advice from her mother.

Radio Times: Jennifer has some home truths for Kate, and plans for Hadley Haugh go on apace.

Characters: David, Ed, Jennifer, Kate, Ruth

• Ruth tries to interest David in taking time out to go to Northumberland and look over the plans for the new milking parlour. David seems unconvinced of the need but grudgingly agrees. Ruth spies him going through the old farm diaries and wonders if he is going to keep them. He plans to keep just a few … or so he says. At that moment, Ed turns up bearing news.
• Kate announces to her mother that she is completely unhappy with her old cottage, it’s much too twee. Brian will just have to totally refurbish the place. Jenny is not impressed. Kate shares her plans for Phoebe’s bedroom but her mother has her own ideas, saying that Phoebe has expressed a wish to remain at Home Farm. They retire for a calming cup of tea.
• David commiserates with Ed regarding the forced sale of his dairy herd. Ed admits that it’s a weight off his mind, but his plans to do further contracting, staying on at Bridge Farm and running a small beef herd meet with David’s full approval. He has done exactly the right thing both for him and his family.
• Jenny and Kate just can’t agree, so Jenny delivers the brutal truth as she sees it; Phoebe will take some considerable time to develop their relationship and she should be given the necessary space in which to do it. Jenny believes that Kate is trying much too hard. In an unexpected moment of maternal humanity, Kate plaintively wonders if she could nevertheless plan a bedroom for Phoebe, for whenever she sees fit to use it. Jenny thinks it a wonderful idea.
• As David and Ruth move the cows out to pasture, he mentions how Shula is concerned about the situation regarding the hunt saboteur. Ruth says that she has arranged their Northumberland visit for Friday next week and suggests that they sign and exchange contracts on the day. David is shocked. However, he announces that he has found the show hedge laid by his father, and there it is! Ruth says that he should be “contemplative” while he can; life is due to get very much busier.