Kate Bradley tangles with Selma Plout when Selma tries to lure pilot Steve Elliott into marriage with her daughter, Henrietta. Selma tries to throw both money into Steve's crop dusting business and gourmet meals to entice Steve. Selma ramps up her fight one notch by moving herself and Henrietta into the hotel to be closer to Steve. Kate, knowing Billie Jo and Steve are officially dating, comes up with a plan. She enlists the help of Floyd and Charley to get Selma uninterested in Steve.

It's almost time for the Almost Annual Charity Show, and everyone is looking forward to Steve and Billie Jo performing a duet together. Selma strong-arms Sam, the overseer of the show, into appointing her the show's committee chair, a job usually held by Kate. Selma wants a few changes to the performing roster, including Steve singing with Henrietta. A worse change is that Selma makes herself the headliner, she playing the part of a singing Cleopatra. When news spreads around the valley of Selma's starring role, ticket sales plummet. Kate sets up a money back guarantee scheme at least to get people to the auditorium. Selma gets a case of stage fright and the show goes on without her.

The local Discussion Club is sending their secretary to the weekend long national conventional, all expenses paid. That means Billie Jo, but she doesn't really want to leave Steve for an entire weekend. However, Selma doesn't ever remember voting for someone to fill the position permanently. She wants to hold a special vote to elect a permanent recording secretary. Selma is pushing for Henrietta to go instead of Billie Jo. The outcome of the resulting vote, with only Billie Jo and Henrietta on the ballot, is a tie. Both Selma and Kate think they have the answer to breaking the tie with their respective daughter coming out on top. Both daughters may have other things on their mind.

Without telling anyone in the valley the reason why, Kate takes a trip to the big city. When she returns she tells everyone that she decided to sell the hotel and she went to the city to finalize the terms of the deal with the buyer, Mr. Holloway, a chain hotelier. The money from the sale will provide any opportunity the girls want. The valley residents are sad to see Kate and the girls leave, but the girls are initially happy about the news. But the girls all come to the realization that they still like calling the Shady Rest home, especially after Steve announces that he's staying regardless. Kate comes to understand what life in Hooterville and at the Shady Rest really means to them all. But she feels that she made a verbal agreement with Mr. Holloway that she ethically cannot back out of. Uncle Joe tries to use a little emotional blackmail to convince Kate not to sign to final papers.

Henry and Wilma Tuttle have decided to move into Hooterville Valley. With their arrival Hooterville is now eligible to have a representative on the County Board of Supervisors. Sam scoffs at Kate's suggestion for a good candidate for Supervisor because she picked a woman. This sets off a battle of the sexes for Hooterville's Board representative. The men decide to back Sam and the women decide to back Kate. With the valley equally divided based on gender, both sides feel the best way to win is gain the vote of those in the valley who have no previous allegiance, namely the Tuttles. The women try to convince Henry to vote for Kate, while the men try to convince Wilma to vote for Sam. Henry and Wilma decide to move away because of all the fighting.

Floyd is in love. He eventually confides in Kate about it, but doesn't mention who the girl is. Floyd tells Steve that he proposed and the girl accepted. He asks Steve for an unusual and huge favor. Floyd would like to have a double wedding and honeymoon. Uncle Joe, who once took a private investigator's course, believes he can uncover the identity of the mystery girl. But Kate knows a surefire way to find out and that's from Selma, the biggest gossip in town. Selma divulges that she is the mystery girl. When Selma tells Floyd that they will leave Hooterville and he will have to give up the Cannonball, Floyd calls the whole thing off.

It's Kate's birthday. She is grateful for all the presents and the birthday good wishes, but she is hoping to receive something from Betty Jo and Steve who are still on their honeymoon in Hawaii. But the mail comes and goes with no gift from the honeymooners. Kate starts to believe the two have forgotten her birthday. Meanwhile, Betty Jo and Steve hope to fly home early and in time for Kate's birthday. Sam and Joe decide to go to the Pixley post office to see if anything for Kate is held up there. Because they tamper with the mail there, the two wind up in jail. Betty Jo misplaces Kate's present, and while looking for it, they miss their connecting flight. Thanks to an Air Force buddy, Betty Jo and Steve make it back in time.

Uncle Joe's barbershop quartet have entered the Winter Festival competition. One member is singing a bunch of bad notes. They soon realize that the offending member is Joe. Joe decides to step aside if they can find somebody to replace him. They quickly find Grampa Jenson to fill Joe's place. This leads to the end of Joe's friendship with Sam. Selma, the head of the Winter Festival's judging committee, asks Joe to be on the panel of judges. Her request has an ulterior motive as Henrietta has entered the contest. Selma implies that she will give the Carson-Elliott Enterprises her crop dusting business if Joe votes for Henrietta. Something Sam does at the competition repairs his and Joe's friendship

In this valentine to Kate Bradley the citizens of Hooterville pull out all the stops to welcome Kate home, including a parade with floats, songs and fireworks. But first, arguments begin about where her official welcoming celebration will take place and who will preside over such an event. Mayor Potts wants to preside over it at a downtown location. Sam wants to preside over it outside his store. Selma wants to preside over it in her garden. And Joe wants to preside over it at the Shady Rest. They all wait for Kate's three o'clock arrival in front of Sam's store. Then they read her message to Uncle Joe and realize that Joe didn't read the part that said she will be arriving in Pixley. Amid the chaotic festivities, Kate muses "There's no doubt about it, I'm home.

Betty Jo's due date is fast approaching. Everyone is excited that another baby will being born in the valley and be delivered by Doc Stuart. Steve throws everyone for a loop when he announces that he wants the baby to be born in a fancy hospital that's far away. While Betty Jo would rather stay in Hooterville, she knows that Steve only wants what's best for her. The townsfolk see Betty Jo leaving as a slight on the valley and as such they decide to snub Betty Jo and Steve. Steve reconsiders when he sees Doc Stuart in action. Meanwhile, Wendell Gibbs, the new engineer of the Cannonball, is hoping people will start calling him "Cannonball".

Betty Jo and Steve's baby is due anytime now. Steve thinks it's a good idea if they move back to the Shady Rest until the baby comes. Wendell has been on around the clock watch for the last week keeping the train engine stoked. But it's taking a toll on his body. Betty Jo is trying to hold off the baby's arrival as Billie Jo and Kate are out of town. When Betty Jo finally goes into labor, they can't wake Wendell up, so Betty Jo must work the Cannonball herself. Betty Jo has a baby girl and Billie Jo and Kate do make it back in time.

Gus Huffle, the owner of the Pixley Bijou movie theater, has decided to close due to lack of business. Sam says that a big part of the problem is that Richard Arlen and Charles 'Buddy' Rogers, who were supposed to come to the Bijou for the world premiere of their Academy Award-winning Wings (1927 film), decided instead to attend a premiere at the Roxy in New York City. Joe decides to write a nasty letter to Arlen and Rogers. After receiving the letter, Arlen and Rogers think that attending a world premiere of the movie at the Pixley Bijou - despite being forty years late - would be good publicity. When they arrive in Hooterville, the community pulls out all the stops, including a parade and musical performances.

Bobbie Jo really likes a new book she is reading called "The Feminine Mistake". It talks about how women are denied their humanity by men by being forced into domestic lives rather than real careers. Bobbie Jo decides to look for a job so that she can gain an identity through her work. Her first attempts at jobs end in disaster. Sam let's Bobbie Jo write for the paper. Bobbie Jo writes an article about Dr. Craig that incorrectly portrays her as a snob, causing an uproar in the valley. A remorseful Bobbie Jo decides to leave town. It may take Janet using some reverse psychology to make Bobbie Jo fully understand her life in Hooterville. Bobbie Jo decides to stay, stating "I'm the only one left to give that woman's touch to the Shady Rest..." Meanwhile, Uncle Joe tries to build a motorized bicycle so that he doesn't have to pedal.

Billie Jo arrives back home from a gig in Omaha with her new boyfriend, comedian Rick Wayne. Rick doesn't make a very good first impression in Hooterville. Billie Jo thinks that a good way for the valley residents to get to know Rick better is for him to star in the Hooterville charity radio show. She wishes she could take back the invitation when she hears a part of Rick's routine for the show, which is a put-down of the valley and its residents. Billie Jo has to figure out how to get Rick to not do that routine. A little talk from Steve and everything turns out fine.

The valley folk are preparing for the annual Founder's Day celebrations. Janet's idea is to have a musical tribute from then to now. Billie Jo, Bobbie Jo and Betty Jo would be the featured performers. Selma, whose husband's great great uncle Cyrus Plout founded Hooterville, believes the girls' mini-skirt outfits are indecent. Uncle Joe actually agrees with her. Uncle Joe believes that since his lodge, the Royal Order of the Camels, is hosting this year's celebrations, he has final say. Janet thinks that the younger people should also have a say. Henrietta Plout unwittingly comes up with an issue that breaks the stalemate.