ðə bˈʊks dᵻskɹˈaɪb vˈɪlɪdʒ lˈaɪf θɹuː ðə sˈiːzənz ʌvðə jˈɪɹ, bˌʌt fɚðə plˈeɪz dˈuːhɜːst sᵻlˈɛktᵻd dʒˈʌst tˈuː dˈeɪz: ðə fˈɜːst dˈeɪ ʌv hˈɑːɹvɪst fɔːɹ lˈɑːɹk ɹˈaɪz ænd ðə fˈɜːst hˈʌnt mˈiːt ʌvðə nˈuː jˈɪɹ, ɐ wˈɪntɚz dˈeɪ ɪn dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi, fɔːɹ kˈændəlfɚd.
The books describe village life through the seasons of the year, but for the plays Dewhurst selected just two days: the first day of harvest for Lark Rise and the first hunt meet of the new year, a winter's day in January, for Candleford.