- When Emil gets home, his sister is at the kitchen table, eating with her farmhands. The three Swedish girls are running around, servingthe men, but also getting in each other's way and giggling. Alexandra could do their work herself, if she had too, but she likes having the girls around to keep her company when Emil is off at school.
- One of the girls, Signa, seems to be the object of affection for one of Alexandra's farmhands, Nelse Jensen. But since he makes no sign of it to anyone, it's anyone's guess what whether he'll ever propose to her.
- Old man Ivar is also sitting at Alexandra's table. He lost his land through mismanagement, and Alexandra took him in. He looks after the livestock. Since he doesn't like living the way most people do, Alexandra has given him space in the barn, where he feels more comfortable with the horses. That way, as he says in his characteristic way, he's "further from temptations" (2.2.3).
- Alexandra hasn't changed much in all these years. She is just as levelheaded as she was as a young girl. Her face is suntanned, but when she pushes back her sleeves, her skin is smooth and fair.
- Two of the farmhands are unhappy about the silo Alexandra had installed, saying that her brother Lou is also against it. Alexandra insists calmly that everything is worth a try. One of the farmhands, an Irishman, heads out with Emil to inspect the silo.
- Alexandra and Ivar move to the sitting room, because he has something to tell her. He still doesn't speak English, and addresses Alexandra in his old-fashioned Norwegian.
- Ivar complains to her that people have been talking about him, saying that Alexandra should send him away to an insane asylum. They hate them because they fear him, he is different and because he has "visions." They fear that he might do someone harm during one of his "spells" (2.2.18). In the Old Country, he tells her, there were many people like him who had been "touched by God" (2.2.21). But here, people like him get locked away.
- As Ivar talks, he seems to feel better. Alexandra knows from experience that listening to what Ivar has to say often brings him out of one of his spells.
- Alexandra really gets how Ivar feels. She jokes that, especially after the recent incident with the silo, the locals might be taking her off to the asylum, too. But seriously, she tells him, ignore the haters. Be true to you.
- Ivar humbly agrees not to bring this up with her again. He promises to keep washing his feet, as Alexandra has instructed him. Because he refuses to wear shoes, they get pretty dirty.
- Alexandra laughs and tells him not to worry so much about his feet. Back when times were tough, a lot of people went around barefoot. Old Mrs. Lee, mother of Annie (who's now married to Lou), probably wishes she could still go around barefoot.
- Ivar tells Alexandra a story about old Mrs. Lee. In fact, he almost whispers it. Last time he was at Lou's place, old Mrs. Lee showed him their huge porcelain tub, for bathing. The woman hates the thing, and still washes herself secretly in a little wooden tub she keeps under her bed.
- Alexandra laughs again, and says she should bring Mrs. Lee over to her place and start an asylum for old people who prefer the old ways.
- Ivar takes off, saying how happy he is to have gotten this off his chest.
- Alexandra asks him to hitch a horse up to her carriage so she can go into town to meet a potential customer for her alfalfa hay.