Le temps des framboises

Under the scorching country sun, a farmer collapses. The field workers notify the authorities right away. John Conley, father of Junior and William, and husband of Elisabeth, is rushed to hospital.

The Conleys are still trying to process the brutal shock that pushed them to the wall. While William withdraws into himself, Junior appears to be in a state of denial.

New worker Gustavo arrives in the country under strange circumstances. It's his first time in Quebec. Far from his loved ones and feeling distrustful around so many strangers, he'll need Francisco to help him face the culture shock and the challenges of settling into the farm. As he welcomes the newcomers, Francisco is happy for Emilio, who has just received great news. But Francisco notices strange, worrisome behaviour. Elisabeth visits a quirky notary and makes an astonishing discovery about the future of the farm. Tension rises between Elisabeth and her in-laws, who don't want her around, and who accuse her of being incompetent and having been absent in the past.

The Conley family celebrates Peggy's birthday and tries to restore some sense of normalcy. Everyone is suspicious of Elisabeth and her new role on the farm. While Maureen tries to take charge of her life by pursuing strange new hobbies, Elisabeth does her best to get to know the seasonal workers. Emilio makes a mistake in the field that catches the attention of Martha and Denis, who reprimand the worker for his negligence. Little do they know that this was hardly an isolated incident.

Emilio's summer takes an unexpected turn, and he'll have to face the unknown. His sudden departure causes a stir among the workers and friction between Francisco and Elisabeth. Elisabeth questions the amount of pesticides used in the fields. Her distrustful attitude infuriates Denis and Martha; who is she to criticize their methods after years of indifference? Francisco, still deeply affected by Emilio's departure, has become increasingly cold with Elisabeth, who has a hard time dealing with this distancing and confronts Francisco in a gentle, awkward manner.

The workers are disrupted by an Internet outage. This is especially inconvenient for Luis, who needs to reach his wife at all costs. Overworked, Elisabeth calls on a frustrated Junior to lend a hand. As Maureen dives deeper into her new hobby, Peggy is in despair over her unfulfilled love life. Denis is irritated by Elisabeth's initiatives on the farm. The widow's quest for truth and her desire to do things differently alienate her more and more, and Martha and Denis are not about to let anyone step on their toes.

Damage inside the workers' home forces them to relocate. These unexpected circumstances are a rare opportunity for Elisabeth and Francisco to confide in each other-enraging Martha, who insists they maintain professional boundaries. Emilio wanders around, looking for a chance not to come home to his sweetheart empty-handed. Determined to protect her peace of mind at all costs, he struggles to find the courage to tell her about his fate. With no reference points or resources, Emilio begins to flirt with danger.

Emilio's departure puts the Conleys in a bind, and the family will need to answer some questions about his disappearance from the farm. An immigration officer comes to question Elisabeth. Overwhelmed by the circumstances, she relies on Francisco's calm strength to get through it all. Elisabeth and Francisco try to be there for each other, but the tragedy reveals some of their fundamental differences. Despite the pair growing closer and closer, some things simply can't change.

Maureen can't believe her eyes; could she have finally found her dream relationship? Her heart flutters for the mysterious traveller, but her protective sister Rachel hardly approves of the new romance. On the farm, a cloud of dissatisfaction and frustration seems to loom over all Conley Gardens residents. Martha does all she can to regain control of the farm, accusing Elisabeth of being irresponsible. The widow fights back and makes a shocking revelation about John.

Elisabeth finally understands the truth about her late husband. Armed with courage and powerful speeches, Mr. Bertoli and Elisabeth set off to defend the farmers' cause in front of the mayor. Maureen goes missing after making a deeply humiliating discovery. She tries to isolate herself and commit a potentially fatal act. The day before leaving until next year, the workers get together to celebrate. Elisabeth doesn't want to say goodbye, but Francisco tells her something that gives her no choice. The pair didn't expect it to be this hard... And Martha is watching.