Following World War II, a northern cannery negotiates for the purchase of a large tract of uncultivated Georgia farmland. The major portion of the land 's owned by Julie Warren and has already been optioned by her unscrupulous, husband, Henry. Now the combine must also obtain 2 smaller plots; one owned by Henry's cousin Rad McDowell, the other by Reeve Scott, a young black man whose mother had been Julie's childhood nammy. But neither Rad nor Reeve's interested in selling, and they form a partnership to improve their land. Although infuriated by the events, Henry remains determined to push through the big land deal,