Of the Farm is a story about Joey Robinson and his relationship with his widowed mother, who lives on an unarmed farm in rural Pennsylvania. The relationship is explored during a visit to the farm, with Joey — a thirty-five-year-old Manhattan advertising consultant — bringing his new wife, Peggy, and her son, Richard.

Updike uses his new wife as a catalyst for his mother to reject not only Peggy but many decisions he had made in his life since childhood. What stands out is Updike's ability to navigate the complicated layers of a relationship between a mother and son within such a short span of space. With all of the characters equally flawed as the main character in their ways and own lanes, he presents a realistic view of how families interact with other from sometimes startingly different viewpoints.

Often overlooked by reviewers, Richard is surprisingly fluid — providing a bridge between the three adults working on the same problem from different directions. Despite missing her grandson Charlie from the first marriage, Joey's mother seems especially engaged in the 11-year-old boy, who is curious about the farm, birds, and plants in the area. 

By the novel's end, readers are left with an interesting sense of self-awareness, perhaps a greater understanding of how people complicate relationships. This fits exceptionally well with Joey, who is as conflicted about his new marriage as his life in the city.