Lily Owens is a young girl who lives on the peach farm that her abusive father owns. Rosaleen is a black woman hired by Lily's father to be a stand in mother for Lilly. Rosaleen insults some of the biggest racists in their town. Lily and Rosaleen run away to a town Lily believes that her mother once lived in. They go to live with the three Boatwright sisters on their honey farm. She finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping.

Free spirited ex-G.I. and unemployed construction worker Homer Smith stops at a remote farm in the Arizona desert to get water when his car overheats. The farm is being worked by a group of German refugee Catholic nuns, headed by the strict Mother Maria, who believes that Homer has been sent by God to build a much-needed church in the desert.

Col. Robert Gould Shaw is the 25-year-old white son of Boston abolitionists who volunteers to command the first all-black 54th Regiment of the Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry. Sgt. Maj. John Rawlins is the inspirational sergeant who unites the troops. Pvt. Trip is the runaway slave who embodies the indomitable spirit of the regiment. After months of tough training and eventual small battle experience, they are lead to glory in their final assault...