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The Leadbetters go on holiday just as twin disasters of Tom injuring his back and extreme weather conditions threaten the Good's dream of self sufficiency to the test. Their first harvest is due to begin any day and Barbara tries to deal with these almost insurmountable problems.

It becomes evident to Barbara that Tom needs help with building maintenance around the home. She decides to enroll in a series of evening classes to teach her skills such as roofing, plumbing etc.

Tom and Barbara celebrate with mixed emotions the slaughter of their first pig. Margo announces she has met the new neighbors and approves of their class and breeding.

Tom and Barbara come under the influence of Mr Wakeley a local prize winning marrow grower. He explains to them the value of talking to your plants and vegetables. They decide to try it much to the derision of others in the neighborhood.

The Good's financial situation worsens as they begin to realise their first crop can't be sold. They look to various schemes to raise money to pay local council rates. Just as the situation looks to be at its worst, events occur that might just see them through their current crisis.

Excitement is generated when a local newspaper reporter interviews the Goods about their life style. Word soon leaks out the story may attract national newspaper attention, and both Gerry and Margo leverage the Good's new found celebrity status for their own means. But as is often the case not all works out for the best

Margo is beside her as she struggles to come to grips with the leading roll in a local amateur production of 'Sound Of Music' Barbara does all she can to improve Margo's confidence.

Margo's last-minute draft of Barbara to speak at her club leads to invitations to speak at other locales, as well as a friendship with Lady Truscott which social-climber Margo envies.

Tom and Margo's simmering disagreement festers to the point that Margo calls in the local residents' association to put a stop to the Goods' self-sufficient lifestyle. The showdown between the two neighbors takes an unexpected turn, and from the outcome a new relationship is forged.

Tom Good is celebrating his 40th birthday and reflects on life and the lack of satisfaction he's found. He realizes he is searching for 'it' but can't define what that actually means. In a flash of inspiration he discovers needs break the chains and attempt to become self sufficient from the rest of the world. Barbara his wife sees his infectious and agrees to be part of Tom's new world. The neighbor's reaction is far less positive and conflict appears on the horizon

Tom and Barbara have secured a flock of chickens; the behavior of the rooster raises eyebrows until one of the chickens unexpectedly lays an egg. Jerry and Margo cook up a scheme that might see Tom abandon his plans and allow the neighborhood to return to normal. The plan fails and becomes a source of conflict between Margo and Barbara.

Tom and Barbara have put the episode when they were vandalised behind them and are making their own decorations on Christmas eve. Next door Margo has argued with the company delivering all her Christmas trimmings and sent back the van because the Christmas tree was too short. Due to a misunderstanding no replacement arrives and Margo and Jerry are faced with the prospect of no Christmas. Fortunately the Goods have enough Christmas cheer to invite them for party games and home-made crackers,though Margo is specific about which newspaper she wants for her party hat.

Using the loom Tom makes himself a suit from spinning fleeces and dyes it green from boiled nettles. Jerry and Margo attend the retirement dinner for Tom's old boss 'Sir' but Jerry, vying with two others to be his successor, has left his speech behind. When Tom and Barbara bring it to the restaurant Sir believes they have come to see him off and is full of praise for Tom's time at the company. He invites the Goods to join the others - which means Tom removing his coat to display his new suit.

With their goat not yielding any milk and much of the garden still soaked in oil Tom is in no mood to celebrate his birthday and the second anniversary of quitting his job. To get funds he and Barbara ask Margo to sell their record collection and learn from her that there has been a spate of burglaries in the area. The good news is that with Sir retiring - also to pursue self-sufficiency - Jerry has been promoted and the Goods celebrate at Margo and Jerry's. Returning home they find their house has been broken into and, though nothing was taken, severely vandalised. Jerry suggests Tom returns to work with him but Tom and Barbara are determined to carry on living the Good Life.

A series of thefts of the Good's leek crop leads to Tom taking drastic measures to stop his livelihood being destroyed. His actions lead to a series of events that leave Tom in a very difficult situation.

The Goods' need of manure to replenish their garden leads to the discovery that Margo is not riding at the Pony Club when she claims to be, but rather entering an unmarked green door in town. When Jerry decides to share Margo's interests by joining the Pony Club himself, Tom and Barbara brace for an explosion.

A young couple from the university come to the house to learn about Tom's self sufficiency drive. Barbara begins to become concerned and threatened when she realizes Ruth has fallen in love with Tom. Margo's world is turned upside down when one of the houses in the area is put up for sale and she fears 'undesirables' moving in could lower the standards of the neighborhood.

Barbara manages to get her hands on a horse, Tom is opposed to the idea because he thinks the animal will consume more resources than it supplies. Margo hears of the conflict and turns the whole subject in a feminist cause.

Nostalgic for the days when she wore pretty clothes Barbara feels that Tom is consistently taking her for granted, especially when he fails to compliment her on her only posh frock - which gets torn. Matters come to a head when a glamorous school-friend of Barbara's comes for dinner in a designer dress and Tom cannot take his eyes off her. It takes Jerry to talk some sense into Tom and make him realise that Barbara deserves rewards for the sacrifices she has made for him.

Tom's former employer, instructs Jerry to invite the Good's to a dinner party. Sir Andrew tries to entice back to work by offering freelance work. After initially saying no Tom reconsiders the offer in the wake of an intimate discussion with Barbara. Tom scheming nearly comes undone as Barbara discovers part of Tom's secret and what it will mean for her

Tom shows off his latest project, a way to produce electricity using the refuse from his herd of pigs. Jerry takes an interest in the concept till Margo and Barbara have words. Later after things have calmed Tom asks Jerry to house sit while the Goods go to scrounge firewood. While away a series of unexpected events occur at the house that see Jerry get the last laugh over the Good's

Tom and Barbara's plans progress as the first of their plants begin to take root. Things look up when they befriend a junk man who sells them an old wood fired stove. Tom is forced to confront one of farming greatest challenges, how to stop birds eating their crop. Barbara becomes combative over the roles she and Tom seem to be developing; she sounds out close neighbors Margo and Jerry only to discover a deeper appreciation of Tom and her relationship

With the ten pound profit they have made from selling produce the Goods go to Dorking with Margo and Tom buys a loom with which to make their clothes. Margo buys a spinning wheel but purely for decoration. When Jerry questions Barbara about Margo's extravagance he finds out about the spinning wheel,which leads to a rift between him and his wife.

Tom becomes concerned when he hears she is planning to build a wind break. He can see a major problem with the further growth of his fruit crop.

A Special Performance in the presence of HM The Queen and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh. The Goods go next door to find Jerry being examined by his doctor for another pension plan to ensure a wealthy retirement. Appreciating that he has no such security Tom visits his bank manager and asks for a loan with his house as the collateral, the idea being that the bank claims it on Tom's death. His request is refused. Returning home he finds that Jerry has been told by the doctor he is not as fit as he should be, which leads to the two men both accusing the other of being unfit and the challenge of a road race. After they both tire they decide to call it quits but still end up cheating.