Life is tough for a widow with three kids trying to farm on the drought striken 1930's Manitoba prairie. Even with pressing Mariah's two young sons, Jonathan and Seth, into helping, the ends never seem to quite meet. Still grieving for her dead husband, Mariah is unprepared for her reaction to a weary man who shows up unexpectedly asking for a drink of water. One thing leads to another, and soon Jonas becomes a fixture in their lives. At first, Mariah isn't sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Only time would tell.