Season 1 Episode 3 “The Hundred Mile Walk”- Little House on the Prairie

Charles Ingalls first 100 acre crop of wheat is about ready to be harvested. The family is excited about how much money the crop will bring and they begin making lists of all the things they could buy. Their hopes are dashed when a terrible rain and hail storm drenches the wheat and makes it lay flat in the field making it almost impossible to harvest. Charles sets out on a 100 mile walk in search of work to make ends meet for the family. Along the way he meets two other men, Jack Peters and Jacob Jager who are also looking for other work because their crops were ruined too. Jack is on his way to a rock quarry where he tells them he can get the other two men jobs busting up rocks. He is the dynamite man on the quarry. It’s hard work but they do it for their families. Charles and Jacob are so good at pounding the drill in the rocks that they win a contest in the quarry.

Back at home, Mrs. Ingalls decides she is going to try and salvage some of the ruined wheat. She gets some of the other ladies in town to come help out. In return, the women will get wheat for the winter. The women work hard and do the harvesting and reaping by hand. They are able to gather enough wheat for everyone.

A blasting accident occurs at the quarry which takes the life of Jack Peters. Charles and Jacob decide it’s time to go home to be with their families. Charles has the difficult task of delivering Jack’s belonging and earnings to his widow. Charles is all the more thankful to be able to return home to his own little family.