This is an in-depth look at the harvest in a North China commune. Intensive cropping methods and the orchestrated effort of all commune members at harvest time make it possible to support a population of 14 500 on only 1200 hectares of land. All activity on the commune is geared for production, be it the collection of waste for further processing, the building of new homes in the off-season, or the operation of small industries to obtain additional income for the commune. The film shows a conserver society in action, jolting Western viewers into realizing how much we really waste.