Anastasia started her career as a seasonal agricultural worker at the age of 17 when a series of fateful events led her to the blueberry barrens of Downeast Maine. She raked berries every year for the next 8 years, and also did some apple picking, morel mushroom hunting, and tree-planting which eventually became her primary occupation. This lifestyle kept her on the road for the better part of 13 years and enabled her to become intimate with many parts of the country. She has been based out of Tucson, AZ (the city of her birth) for the past 10 years where her home has evolved into an urban, desert farm. Anastasia has just earned a degree in Rangeland Ecology and Management from the University of Arizona. She is looking forward to integrating her experiences and skills in ways that will help to produce food and other products from the land while sustaining and enhancing natural and cultural resources. This program was sponsored by White Oak Pastures.

"I think what I really loved about it [seasonal agriculture] was the bizarre social scene that grew around it... I also got really into the physical aspects of it... grueling, repetitive work out in the hot sun... But I don't wanna paint a rosy picture of seasonal agricultural work because it's not that way for many people."

"The fact that we can make food from animal products without altering the land is really important to our food security." -- Anastasia Rabin on Greenhorn Radio

This week on Why We Cook it's all about adaptability and flexibility. Erica talks about about the advantages of planning your meals and getting the most out of your leftovers-- from venison burgers,to a breakfast of cabbage and eggs to the seasonal offerings of cabbage and rhubarb. Later on in the show, learn what she and painter Jean-Francois Millet have in common. This episode is sponsored by Cain Vineyard and Winery.

Erin talks with Michael Hartnell and Tower Isho of Le Caprice about seasonality, growing asparagus & wine pairings.