Michael Portillo crosses the Great Plains of Canada by rail, armed with his 1899 Appleton's Guide. He digs into the region's indigenous past at the longest running archaeological excavation in Canada, discovers an Englishman whose work earned him the title Canada's Wheat King, and in the cultural hub of Saskatoon he learns how to make a traditional Saskatoon berry pie.

At Wanuskewin Heritage Park, Michael finds a 700-year-old piece of bison bone and hears how archaeologists are piecing together a picture of early indigenous hunting. Michael explores a "bison jump" at Opimihaw. At Rosthern, Michael uncovers how a British pioneer from the Isle of Wight emigrated to Canada and began to farm wheat. Facing bitter winters and brief summers, Seager Wheeler selectively bred seeds to find the best varieties. Michael investigates the magnificent machinery Wheeler invented to do it and the prize-winning seed he produced.

North east of the South Saskatchewan River at Batoche, Michael reaches the battlefield where in 1885 the French-speaking Métis people and their indigenous allies lost their struggle against Canadian control. Show less