Andy and Helen are finally getting married and Andy is having his Bachelor party. The couple will honeymoon in Florida and Goober will be acting Sheriff. Opie will be on a camping trip and Aunt Bee is planning to leave Mayberry and live with her sister out-of-state. Sam asks Aunt Bee to move onto the farm with him and Mike, but she says her plans are made. It's the day of the wedding and Barney is best man. The happy couple leave for their honeymoon. Something the Reverend says leads Aunt Bee to change her mind about Sam's offer. But farm life might take some getting used to. Meanwhile, Howard reads a postcard from Andy to Goober and Emmett. Aunt Bee decides farm life isn't for her and Sam takes her large luggage out to the car. After speaking to Mike and looking at family pictures, Aunt Bee decides to overcome her fears and stay at the farm. We see Andy singing to Helen and then Barney is there as well.

The annual Harvest Ball is soon and the men are asking each other who they're going to take. Goober would like to take Millie Swanson, but is having a hard time asking her. Emmett writes a letter to Millie for Goober. Meanwhile, Sam would like to ask Millie to the ball as well. Goober asks Sam to rewrite Emmett's letter and Sam finds out it's to Millie. Sam has to run an errand before he can finish Goober's letter. Millie comes to Sam's office and sees the letter. She is excited because she likes Sam. Millie gets the letter in the mail but is disappointed when she sees it's from Goober. Millie's friend Dorothy is there when she reads the letter and says what a nice guy Goober is. Millie shows up to the ball with Goober. Sam is able to get a dance with Millie and Goober can see she would rather be with Sam. Goober tells Sam what he sensed and says it's OK. Goober leaves and runs into Dorothy and senses she likes him. Sam and Millie see Goober and Dorothy walking off arm in arm.

Sam's cousin, Vince, is coming to visit. He used to be a jockey but now he trains horses. The next day Vince arrives with a horse named Gingersnap. Vince says that the horse has not lived up to its potential as a race horse. He's looking to sell the horse to finance a restaurant he wants to partner in and was hoping Sam could find a buyer. Aunt Bee thinks it's a shame to turn Gingersnap into a saddle horse. Emmett tells Sam that Mr. Bowers might be interested in the horse. But Aunt Bee manages to intentionally ruin the deal. She tells Sam her intuition tells her to put the horse in a race. Sam reluctantly agrees. Aunt Bee sets things up and gets the horse into a race at Morgan Downs. The day of the race, Aunt Bee gives the Jockey a pep talk. After the race starts, Gingersnap is in last position. The horse comes from behind to win. When Vince hears the good news, he decides to keep Gingersnap.

The corn crop is coming in and Sam needs to hire someone to help him. Andy suggests using ex-prisoners from the county prison. Sam talks to Aunt Bee and she reluctantly agrees. Andy introduces Sam to Harry Davis and Charley Wilson. The men start picking corn and after a while, Sam gives them some money to run a few errands in his truck. They stop at Goober's gas station. Millie tells them that Goober's not there and they should just help themselves. They stop at Emmett's fix-it shop to pick something up for Sam. Emmett has to leave and he asks the men to watch his store. Meanwhile, Millie drops off a little more than $500 to Aunt Bee. Later, Sam and Aunt Bee find the money and car gone. Harry and Charley go to play cards with Big Louie. Andy and Sam show up and Harry and Charley say they were just trying to win the rest of the money for the pool. Big Louie gives Andy an additional $500 for the pool.

Mike sees in a catalog a silver vase that he would like to get for Aunt Bee's birthday. It seems Mike accidentally ordered a copy machine from Amalgamated Copy Machine Co. There's a 10-day free home trial. Mike decides to go into business with his friend Harold and make copies for people in town. He hopes to make enough money to buy Aunt Bee's gift. Ernie Newhouser, from Amalgamated, shows up at Sam's house. Sam manages to put off Ernie and then goes to talk to Mike. Mike figures he'll fill the order and then mail it back. But he trips over the cord and damages the machine, but it still works. Mike takes the machine to Emmett's, but he can't fix it. He then tries to get a bank loan from Cyrus Tankersley with no luck. Sam finds out about the machine and gets upset. Harold tells Sam that Mike used the machine again so he could buy Aunt Bee's gift. Understanding what Mike went through, Sam tells him he'll keep the machine.

Howard tells the church committee that the church is in need of funds. The problem is with the annual charity play. Howard believes the problem is that Clara, the producer, hasn't kept up with the times. Clara is not happy when she is told she will be replaced. Because she has a little theater experience, Millie is offered the job to direct "Sleeping Beauty". An old friend of Millie's named Nick comes to town. He offers her a good job in a dance production in Raleigh. Millie wants to stay in Mayberry and turns him down. Clara tells the church committee that Millie used to be a chorus girl. The Reverend suggests replacing Millie, but Sam vouches for her. Sam talks to Millie and she admits to once being a chorus girl. It's the night of the play and the show is running smoothly. The Reverend and Sam think everything will be OK. Then the play ends with Mike singing "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody" and the girls do a chorus line fan dance. The audience loved it.

The town is excited about the Baseball Class "A" Excursion. While buying his ticket, Goober complains to Sam and Andy about the contents of the box lunch that will be included. Mike is excited to be going to the game. Sam becomes upset with Mike for losing a second jacket in less then 10 days. Mike has also lost several other items lately. Sam tells him that if he loses one more thing, he can't go to the game. Mike is playing baseball with some friends and he loses his watch. Mike tells Sam what happened and Mike knows he can't go to the game. Sam feels bad about enforcing his rule. It doesn't help that many townspeople are giving him a hard time about it. Andy gives Sam an idea of how he might be able to let Mike go to the game. Sam buys a similar watch and then sets it up so Mike can find it. While watching the game, Mike finds his original watch in his baseball glove. Mike realizes what his father did for him.

Sam tells Goober and Emmett that the high school journalism class has been assigned to interview the office holders in Mayberry. Sam meets Nancy Hughes, who is instantly attracted to him. The next day, Nancy finds Sam at the bakery and asks to interview him some more. Millie tells Sam that Nancy has a huge crush on him. Sam now tries to avoid Nancy. Goober and Emmett tease Sam about Nancy. Sam wants to tell her off but Millie and Howard think that will effect her psychologically. Howard suggests finding a younger version of Sam for her to fall for. Sam asks Emmett's nephew Pete to join him, Millie, Nancy, Howard, and Emmett at a barbecue at Myers Lake. Nancy has no interest in Pete. Howard has a direct talk with Nancy about Sam. The next day, Nancy goes to the bakery and apologizes to Sam for throwing herself at him. Nancy is now attracted to Howard. Howard tells Sam and Emmett that he told Nancy right off that he wasn't interested. It appears she is now hooking up with Pete.

Aunt Bee is about to deposit some money in her savings account. Aunt Bee considers the Caribbean cruise she's always wanted to take. Goober, Emmett and Howard tease Aunt Bee about shipboard romances. Aunt Bee invites them to a bon voyage party on the boat. On the boat, Aunt Bee's friends point out some of the men on board. Aunt Bee mistakes Captain Charles Wolford or a steward. Aunt Bee befriends two other older ladies, Blanche Wilkins and Amelia Turner. Aunt Bee runs into Charles and accepts his invitation for coffee in the officers lounge. They wind up spending a lot of time together on the trip. Aunt Bee writes back home about Charles. Charles tells Aunt Bee that he is going to retire after this trip and hopes to settle down on a farm somewhere. Her two week trip is over and Aunt Bee returns home. She tells her friends that Charles proposed and she accepted. Aunt Bee receives a telegram from Charles saying he'll be arriving in Mayberry in a week.

Aunt Bee's friend Ella comes by and wants to hear all about Charles. Aunt Bee is planning an engagement reception. Meanwhile, Howard, Goober and Emmett are concerned that Aunt Bee may have rushed into the engagement. They don't trust Charles and will keep an eye on him at the party. It's the night of the reception and the towns people get to meet Charles. He claims he'll take good care of Aunt Bee. The next day Charles and Aunt Bee look at a farm and set the date for the wedding. Aunt Bee sees a TV show about a sea captain talking to his girlfriend. The captain says that the sea will always be a part of him. Aunt Bee starts to wonder whether Charles will some day want to return to the sea. Little things that Charles does makes Aunt Bee even more concerned. At the wedding rehearsal, Aunt Bee says she wants to postpone the wedding.

Sam and Howard meet with principal Mr. Adams and Mrs. Corcoran. Mrs. Corcoran is concerned with the rise of minor traffic accidents and violations occurring among the teenagers in Mayberry. She recommends a drivers education course be instituted. Sam recommends Goober. Goober meets with Mr. Adams and accepts the job. One day while backing out of a tight spot in the parking lot, Goober backs into Mr. Adams' beloved car, badly damaging it. Goober admits to Mr. Adams what happened and Mr. Adams can't believe his driving instructor caused the damage. Emmett tells Goober he should quit before he gets fired. Goober lets Howard and Sam know he's quitting. Sam says he'll talk to Mr. Adams first. Mr. Adams tells Sam he's willing to overlook the accident. But, Mrs. Corcoran and some of the other parents want to hold a meeting about the incident. At the meeting, Mrs. Corcoran insists that Goober be replaced.

Sam was experimenting growing string beans, but his crop turned out very poorly. Sam consults with his friend Ralph Barton, but Ralph has no answers. He then talks to Harry at the lawn and garden shop in town, but he's no help. Meanwhile, Millie is growing string beans in her backyard garden. Sam later sees Millie's beans and asks her what she did to get them to grow so well. Turns out Millie did nothing special but water them. Sam gets irritated when Millie sees a bucket of his tiny shriveled up beans. That night Sam and Millie are double dating with Goober and Marilyn. Sam becomes annoyed when Goober keeps complimenting Millie's beans. Mike talks to Millie about her fight with Sam and her beans. Later, Mike tells Sam that Millie talks to her beans. Ralph sees Sam talking to his beans and tells Sam something that makes him feel better. Sam apologizes to Millie and brings her some of his tomato crop. After he leaves, she compares his tomatoes to hers and hers are bigger.

Sam returns from Siler City and tells Howard that Rev. Bickford's church has a bell for sale. Mayberry's church doesn't have a bell. Howard is the church treasurer and wants to call a committee meeting to get their opinion. Millie, who is co-treasurer, says the church can only afford $150. Rev. Bickford would love to sell the bell, but tells his committee they should not seem too anxious. When the two parties get together, Rev. Bickford asks $200 for the bell. Sam offers $150 which Rev. Bickford quickly rejects. Rev. Bickford finally accepts the $150 offer. Sam has bad news for the committee. It seems that Lucius Fremont owned the land under the church. He donated the land to the church provided that a bell never be hung there in his lifetime. He tells Sam his reason for not wanting the bell. It seems many years ago he was stood up by his bride on their wedding day at that church. The bell ringing would remind him of that day. Lucius finds a way for the church to keep it's bell.

Sam tells housekeeper Flora that he was chosen to be part of a Farmer Exchange Project with Russia. Professor Luboff is to spend two weeks with Sam. Everyone is surprised when Professor Luboff turns out to be Professor Tanya Luboff, a woman. Tanya is very proper and reserved and tells Sam and Millie that she was the only woman picked for the exchange project. Millie thinks she might have a good time at the dance on Saturday and asks Sam to get a date for Tanya. Sam talks a reluctant Howard into taking her to the dance. That night when Howard asks Tanya to be his date, she politely turns him down. She later overhears Flora telling Sam and Howard that Tanya hasn't discovered that it's fun to be a woman. Millie talks Tanya into going to the dance and helps her get ready clothes and hair wise. She also gives Tanya advice on how to act. It's the night of the dance and Sam and Millie arrive with a beautiful looking Tanya. Tanya dances with several men and has a great time.

Howard complains to Sam about the lack of new residents and wants to hold a special city council meeting concerning Goober. The council says that Goober is going to sheriff's academy two nights a month and worked under Andy. The men vote down Howard's motion to hire a sheriff. Emmett inadvertently tells Goober about the meeting and Goober is now upset. Howard comes up with a plan to stage a bank robbery. He wears a stocking to disguise his face and uses a water gun to hold up the teller, Hilda, and leaves with a bag of money. Howard gets into his car but it won't start. As Goober comes over to talk to Howard, Hilda comes out and points out Howard as the robber. Goober arrests Howard and many of the townsfolk see Goober take Howard to jail. From his jail cell, Howard tries to explain himself to Goober and the two start to argue. Sam holds another council meeting at the court house. At the meeting, Sam uses some psychology to get Goober and Howard to be friends again.

Sam hires a new farmhand, Rudy Harwell, to help harvest his corn crops. Emmett mentions to Sam how impressed Mike is with Rudy. Even Flora sees how much Mike admires Rudy. Flora tells Sam he should spend more time with Mike. She is afraid Mike is beginning to enjoy being around Rudy more than him. The next day, Sam takes Mike into town, but Mike doesn't seem to have much fun. Flora tries to tell Rudy how close Sam and Mike are. Back at home, Sam and Mike try to put a model car together. Things don't go smoothly and then Rudy comes in and finishes the model. Mike goes off with Rudy. Later, Mike is having a hard time with a composition for school. Flora tells him to ask Sam for help, but he goes to Rudy instead. Rudy intentionally gives Mike bad advice hoping he will then turn to Sam. Mike does go to Sam and tells him about the bad advice Rudy gave him. The corn crop is harvested and Rudy leaves. It's then that Sam figures out that Rudy wanted Mike to be close to his father.

Aunt Bee's friend Selma Plunkett is coming for a visit. Selma invites Aunt Bee, Sam, and Mike to stay at their Palm Springs home for a couple weeks while they're in Europe. At first they decline the offer, but Selma talks them into it. Goober, Howard, Emmett and Millie come by to say hello to Selma. Selma says it's a 5 bedroom house, so they all should go. Everyone makes arrangements to go and Sam just has to go to school to get Mike out of class. Mike informs Sam that he's flunking arithmetic because of his problem with fractions. Mike's teacher tells Sam that there will be another test in one week and if Mike can get a better grade, she wouldn't mind if he went on the trip. Everyone tries working with Mike, but things don't go that well. It's the day of the test and Mike isn't very confident. Everyone is thrilled when they learn Mike did well on the test. They plan to leave the next morning.

The group arrive in Palm Springs and then head to Selma's house. The home is large and beautiful. Howard and Goober wind up having to share a room. Millie comes back from town saying she saw Rock Hudson. By the pool, Howard gets upset when Goober gets him wet. Their bickering continues that night while they're in their bedroom trying to sleep. The next morning Goober and Howard are still getting on each other's nerves. The others notice this and hope it won't ruin the vacation. Sam rents a Dune buggy and he, Millie, Howard and Goober go riding in the desert. Goober and Howard are still not getting along. They run out of gas and fortunately another driver comes by. Sam and Millie go with the driver to get gas after Goober and Howard insist on staying behind. The two start to worry when it seems that Sam has been gone longer than it should've taken. The men start to confess things to each other and become friends again.

Sam runs into an old war buddy named Charlie Harris. Charlie is a golf pro at one of the local clubs. He invites Sam and Millie over to the driving range for some lessons. After some time on the range, Sam remembers that they have to pick up Goober and Mike from the movies. Millie would like to stay, so Charlie offers to drive her back. Later, when Charlie brings Millie home, he tells her she's beautiful and kisses her. Goobers at the door and happens to see this, but he doesn't see her slap Charlie. Millie tells Goober not to say anything to Sam. Millie finally tells Sam what happened and he just laughs it off saying that's the same old Charlie. This makes Millie furious and she feels she's being taken for granted. Wanting to show Sam, Millie goes to ask Charlie for a date. He says that she's "Sam's girl" and he's apologizes for what he did. Millie decides to make it look to Sam as though she's going out on a date. She spends the night at a malt shop.

Howard meets Walter Michaels, a neighbor and realizes he's a big Hollywood producer. Howard, Emmett, Goober, Sam and Mike then head off to a cowboy breakfast horse ride. A cowboy then sings a song for entertainment and Emmett recognizes him as former singing cowboy movie actor King Beaumont. King comes by with a movie script he wrote for a Western that he would like Howard to give to Walter. Howard reads the script to the others and decides to set up a meeting with King and Walter. Sam thinks Howard might be getting in over his head. The next day, Howard talks to Walter and he reluctantly agrees to have a meeting later that day. That afternoon, King comes by with his partners Jennie Mae Swanson (Jeanne Bates) and Shorty Williams and they meet Walter. The three perform a scene from the film. Walter doesn't seem impressed and he says the time might not be right for a film like that. Walter leaves and King thanks the guys for trying. King then sings Red River Valley.

J.P. Judson, a haggard old man, arrives at the farm. He tells Aunt Bea that he's a Dowser and can find water with a divining rod. She offers him a room in the barn until Sam comes home the next day. Sam comes home and tells Aunt Bea that he hired a company and their geologist will be there in the morning. She talks Sam into letting Judson stay to watch the geologist. Mr. Harris arrives and finds a spot were he'd like to start drilling. Judson checks the spot out and says they won't get any water there. Harris drills anyway, but comes up dry. Later, Judson claims to have found a spot and only wants $50 to show Sam where it's at. Sam says he's going to stick with Mr. Harris. The next day Sam tries using a diving rod and Aunt Bea sees him. But he's still going with Mr. Harris. Harris drills another hole and comes up dry again. Harris bets Judson that he can't find water and Judson tells Harris to keep drilling where they are. Harris drills another 20 feet and they hit water.

Millie tells Aunt Bee that she would like to go stay at a fancy hotel in Charlotte with Sam. Sam comes home and tells Millie they're going camping with Howard and Barbara Evans. Sam doesn't know that Millie hates camping. After she hears how Barbara loves fishing, hiking and camping, Millie decides she better go. Howard falls and tears a ligament in his foot while gathering firewood. Millie begins to feel out of place seeing Barbara's outdoor know-how. And it doesn't help that Sam and Barbara get along so well. No matter how hard Millie tries, she's just can't compete with Barbara. The next morning, Sam and Barbara go off fishing before Millie wakes up. Millie gets upset and tells Howard she's taking Sam's truck and going home. Back at home, Millie tells Aunt Bee how she ruined the trip. Because she's a better "indoors" person, Aunt Bee thinks Millie should host a dinner party for Sam, Howard and Barbara and show off her talents.

Millie receives a letter from Rex Alexander, a famous sculptor she met while modeling in New York. After Rex arrives, Millie throws a tea party to have some of the towns people meet him. Rex has been in town for a week and has grown quite fond of the place. He tells Sam and Millie he would like to create a sculpture for the town as a gift. The piece is called "The Struggle" and the crowd looks at it in awkward silence. After the crowd disperses, Rex is worried the people don't like it. Sam and Millie try to reassure him that everyone loves it. It's decided that Howard would subtly try to find out from Rex what the piece represents. Rex says that it represents man against machine. Aunt Bee introduces Anthony Harper, a curator from the Raleigh Art Museum. The plan is that the sculpture will be permanently loaned to the museum so that many more people will be able to enjoy it.

At their lodge finance meeting, Sam discusses their new health insurance plan. It will only increase dues $8 a month and all bills will be paid by the lodge. Later, Howard tells Sam that his doctor suggests he have an operation to correct his deviated septum. Elmo finds the timing of this operation very suspicious. Emmett and Goober confront Howard and call him a crook. They go with to the hospital to make sure Howard doesn't pad the bill. Emmett and Goober then ask Dr. Wilson about some of the expenses of the operation. Emmett and Goober decide to go see Howard at checkout time to make sure he doesn't stay longer than he should. The lodge meets and learns the health fund is heavily depleted. Goober suggests if Howard doesn't have appendicitis the lodge shouldn't pay for the extra day. Howard is out of the hospital. Goober doesn't believe someone can develop symptoms just by talking about it. Then Sam mentions hives and Goober starts itching.

Everybody thinks Goober is going to Hawaii

Millie doesn't know that her new employeers are actually bookies

Emmett's wife joins a women's lib group.

An encounter group comes to Mayberry

Sam gets a new housekeeper, a former Army officer

Sam and Emmett help put on a show for the church.

Emmett tries to look young by buying a Toupee

Howard's hippie nephew visits him

Howard is made very jumpy at Sam and his camping trip, due to Millie having bad dreams about the trip.

Goober, Howard, and Emmett paint Sam's house against his wishes.

Millie opens up and Egg Farm and finds it very hard work.

Mike becomes the foster father of a little girl in Hong Kong

Sam gets his friend at NASA to bring the moon rock to Mayberry so Howard can have a private showing.

Goober is elected a church elder, only to be caught in a scandal in which he used the church money for gambling.

Alice's harp teacher asks her to marry him.