The Smiths' farm is threatened when Mr. Marshall of the General Power and Water Company tries to force the farmers of Walasco County to sell their water rights to him. Hunt Blake, an envoy for the company, falls quickly in love with Lily Smith while trying to convince her sister Kate to cooperate with Marshall. After Hunt proposes to Lily, he quits his job with the power company. As he and Lily pack to move to San Francisco, Jed, who has worked on the farm for thirty-two years, convinces Hunt to stay and help Kate fight the company. When Marshall hosts a town social to be broadcast on the radio, Kate sings "Out in the Great Open Spaces" and is heard on the radio for the first time. Later, after Kate leaves the social to check on her little brother and sister, the townspeople think she is boycotting the meeting and walk out in support of the farmers. Next, Kate gets an offer from Ted Collins of the Nationwide Broadcasting System to come to New York. Kate refuses to leave the farm until the farmers lose their case in lower court and the bank threatens to take their house. When Kate opens the Bible and finds the words "sing many songs," she leaves for New York. By the time her case reaches Superior Court, Kate is a national sensation and is able to pay all legal fees. When the court again decides against the farmers, Kate leaves New York. Mr. Lindle, an engineer for the company, then reveals that the dam could be built around the farmers' lands if Marshall were willing to spend more money. The farmers, meanwhile, stage a riot in front of Marshall's office, demanding a meeting with him. The sheriff arrests Marshall for inciting a riot just as Kate arrives and offers to pay half of the $200,000 needed to reroute the dam's pipeline. Kate then gets a new radio contract.