We sat down with historian Samantha Misa in the Frisbee family cemetery to uncover some witchy tales from our collective Catskills past.

Just in time for Halloween, Samantha shares some haunted encounters from Delaware County's Frisbee House and recounts tales from her book, Witches of the Catskills, including Molly Meyers, "witch cat," in Gilboa area's "Spook Woods."

Misa recounts the challenges of researching historical witchcraft, using old newspapers and archival records to reconstruct the tales.

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00:00 Introduction: Do You Believe in Witches?

00:20 Halloween Costumes and Modern Witches

00:56 Historical Witches in the Catskills

01:42 The Frisbee Family Legacy

03:45 Haunted Tales of the Frisbee House

04:55 Researching Witches of the Catskills

08:16 Challenges in Witchcraft Research

09:56 Witchcraft and Cats: A Historical Perspective

11:59 The Dark Mysteries of the Catskills

12:53 Chilling Tales and Skepticism

15:17 Molly Myers and Spook Woods

18:50 The Esperance Witch

19:48 Modern Beliefs and Halloween

20:46 Closing Remarks and Credits

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Thanks to this week's sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books and The Mountain Eagle.

This episode takes us to the Woodstock Film Festival's Youth Film Lab, a three-week intensive filmmaking program for teens in Kingston, NY.

Each summer, participants learn filmmaking from industry professionals like Gregg Bray, Megan Sperry, Saskia Madlener, and David Becker. The YFL provides a tuition-free launchpad for young filmmakers to produce documentaries and narrative films, which go on in the fall to be screened at the ⁠Woodstock Film Festival⁠.

00:00 Introduction to a Creative Journey

00:23 Youth Film Lab Overview

01:50 Inside the Filmmaking Process

04:03 Meet the Instructors

12:07 Student Experiences and Reflections

14:42 Program Impact and Future Prospects

18:37 Conclusion and Festival Information

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Thanks to this week's sponsors: ⁠Briars & Brambles Books⁠, Ulster Savings Bank⁠, and ⁠The Mountain Eagle⁠.

Please rate and review on the podcast app of your choice. Thank you!

(Photo courtesy of Megan Sperry)

Join us for our very first LIVE show, recorded at Emerson Resort & Spa as part of their weekend celebration of Ralph Waldo's birthday (born May 25, 1803).

Hear from Catskills scholars and writers Leslie T. Sharpe and Bill Birns, with music by Steve Koester! Q&A with the audience, and more!

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If you missed the live event, you can still play our trivia! Top three submissions win 2 drink tokens to the Catamount bar + a CD of Henry David Thoreau's Autumnal Tints! Contest is now closed. Congratulations to our winners!

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Thanks to this week's sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, Hanford Mills Museum, and The Mountain Eagle.

Kaatscast is made possible through a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and through the support of listeners like you!

Happy New Year! This week's podcast is a celebration of our annual spin around the sun, and a book by local author Nina Shengold on her 365-day walk along the Ashokan Reservoir. On the eve of her 60th birthday, she decided to walk the reservoir every day for one year and to chronicle the journey. We produced an audiobook in collaboration with Syracuse University Press, and in this podcast, you'll hear excerpts from the book, along with reflections by some of the creative Catskillians -- narrator, musician, writer -- involved in the process. 

Thanks to the Catskills Visitor Center and the 52-mile Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway for their support.

For more on Nina's book:
https://ninashengold.com
https://press.syr.edu/supressbooks/2980/reservoir-year/
For the audio edition:
https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780815690016-reservoir-year
And for the locally orchestrated soundtrack:
https://www.twodarkbirds.com/reservoir

Each year, the Catskill Mountain Foundation's Orpheum Dance Program puts on a performance of The Nutcracker, directed by ballet pro Victoria Rinaldi. This year's pandemic brings this annual tradition online, using clips from the past five years of performances, plus new material featuring students like Lada Svechnikova, pictured here. Join us for an interview with Victoria and Lada in Hunter, NY.

Thanks to Cyndi and Paul LaPierre, and to the the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce for their support of this episode.

We spoke with Delaware County historian Bill Birns about the legacy of “Hobart’s greatest” (albeit largely forgotten) son, John Davenport Clarke: farmer, forester, and congressman.  

Catskill Historical Views is a collaboration between Catskill Tri-County Historical Views, the Zadock Pratt Museum, and Silver Hollow Audio. Thanks to Humanities New York for their support of this series.

This week, we highlight four segments from our original "Experience the Central Catskills" audio driving guide, for a westward drive from Olive to Andes on NYS Route 28. 

• DEC Natural Resources Supervisor Bill Rudge and an overview of the Catskill Park past and present
• Historian Diane Galusha on the Ashokan Reservoir and the New York City water supply
• Fly fishing the Esopus creek with Mark Loete
• Reminiscences of John Burroughs, with Bill Birns, Steve Koester, and Rolland Smith

Thanks to our sponsors, the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, the Emerson Resort & Spa, and listener support!

Photo courtesy of Tim Luby.

American essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century, a literary, philosophical and spiritual movement with a belief in humanity's fundamental goodness; and a reverence for self-reliance, non-conformity, and a deep, personal connection to the natural world. And while the title of his essay, "Uses of great Men," may come off as misogynistic, or at least "dated," transcendentalists like Emerson were outspoken advocates of civil rights and social justice.

This week, a reading of Emerson's "Uses of Great Men," by Rolland G. Smith.

If Rolland Smith was born a century earlier, he would likely seek fellowship in the Transcendental Club, to converse with the likes of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, and Henry David Thoreau. A child of the 20th century, however, Rolland gravitated toward broadcast media, where he reported for outlets like WCBS, NBC, and WWOR. He's interviewed U.S. presidents, reported live from the front lines in Vietnam, and served as anchor of the historic "Live Aid" concert to an international audience of 2 billion. His journalistic integrity, contemplative storytelling, and abiding faith in humankind lie in stark contrast to today's media punditry, social media scrolling, and click bait. If Ralph Waldo Emerson was born a century later, he'd probably get his news from Rolland Smith.

Here's Rolland to introduce "Uses of Great Men," followed by his narration of the essay, recorded right here in the Catskills.

This week's show was made possible by the Emerson Resort & Spa and the 52-mile Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway.

The Delaware County Diggers is a group of metal detecting enthusiasts with a passion for history and preservation. We joined them at the John Burroughs' Woodchuck Lodge in Roxbury, NY, where they beeped and dug their way to an eclectic assortment of 19th- and 20th-century treasures. Come along with us for an archaeological treasure hunt just beneath the surface of John Burroughs' property at the historic Woodchuck Lodge! 

Thanks to the Delaware County Diggers, the John Burroughs' Woodchuck Lodge, and to our sponsors: the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, and the Catskill Center. 

It’s fall in the Catskills, with that too-brief splash of color that draws leaf peepers near and far. In 1862, as famed naturalist Henry David Thoreau lay dying from tuberculosis, he wrote an essay entitled "Autumnal Tints," an ode to autumn in New England. In 2008, we published an audio edition of that work, and this week … a selection from that essay, titled "Fallen Leaves."

Thank you to our sponsors: the 52-mile Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, and the historic Phoenicia Playhouse.

This week: bees! wasps! hornets! yellowjackets! (and other things that sting) with special guest Justin O. Schmidt, research biologist at Southwestern Biological Institute, adjunct faculty at University of Arizona’s department of entymology, author of The Sting of the Wild, and creator of the famous Schmidt Sting Pain Index. Scientific American called Schmidt the "King of Sting." The New York Times dubbed him a “Connoisseur of Pain.” Here’s your college class on stings, with ... if we may ... the "sommelier of sting."

Thanks to our sponsors, the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, and the Catskill Center.

John Lyons is a transportation professional, sustainability leader, solar entrepreneur, and business developer with a passion for addressing the climate crisis and creating a clean energy future. He's been incorporating remote work into his career for decades, and he shares his insights on working remotely from both employee and employer perspectives. Plus, suggestions for translating what we've learned this year into a post-pandemic strategy for workplace adaptability moving forward.

Thanks to John Lyons, and to our sponsors:

 Sustainable Hudson Valley and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce

Dave Conover is Program Coordinator at Sustainable Hudson Valley.  He grew up in the Catskills and has spent much of his career working on environmental issues as an educator and program developer.

Climate change is resulting in obvious changes to our very own ecosystem. Dave connects the dots and offers us a hopeful path for the future. But the time to act is now.

This episode was produced in collaboration with Sustainable Hudson Valley. Thanks also to our sponsor, the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway. 

Municipal sewer systems are few and far between in the rural Catskills, so chances are high that your home is reliant on its own septic system. And if that system isn't maintained, well, things could get ugly at the most inopportune time.

Thanks to some beefy financial incentives from the Catskill Watershed Corporation, there's really no excuse to delay septic maintenance, and maybe even a full system replacement. In 2023 alone, the CWC subsidized 312 septic repairs/replacements and 680 maintenance calls.

Join us for a conversation with Orville Smith, from Titan Drilling; and the Catskill Watershed Corporation's Eric Lane and Mitchell Hull, for plenty of practical advice for keeping your system running smoothly.

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Thanks to this week's sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, Hanford Mills Museum, Ulster Savings Bank, and The Mountain Eagle.

Kaatscast is made possible through a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and through the support of listeners like you!

“People, Places, Possibilities” – A Conversation with Cynthia Nikitin

Sustainable Hudson Valley is working to accelerate progress against climate change through programs to scale up the clean energy marketplace and by helping communities plan for more resource-efficient patterns of living and working.  Like everyone in the Hudson Valley, we are confronting four major crises: Covid-19, social injustice, economic recession, and climate change.  SHV is spearheading a large-scale public conversation on responding to the urgency of each crisis, while understanding how they are connected and using that understanding to generate more sophisticated solutions.  It’s an ambitious idea that we are developing with our network of experts, including six Senior Fellows.

One of them is Boiceville resident Cynthia Nikitin, a 28-year veteran of the Project for Public Spaces.  She’s managed hundreds of  “placemaking” projects around the world, helping people to design downtowns, waterfronts, campuses and more, in ways that enhance sociability, connectivity and usefulness – for example, by developing residences and workplaces near transit and each other.  Right now, Cynthia is excited about the way that communities and businesses are being forced to re-think how space is used, even expanding restaurant space into parking lots and surrounding neighborhoods for safety.  She thinks this small shift can drive bigger changes in reclaiming excess streetscape, parking lots and under-utilized land for community revitalization and resilience.

Thanks to our sponsors: Sustainable Hudson Valley, and the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway. 

Photo by Brian Paccione

There are a many conversations these days about the future, and understandably so. We are in the midst of four distinct crises: accelerating climate change, a pandemic, the worst economic collapse since the Great Depression, and a wakeup to systemic racism.

Kaatscast is collaborating with Sustainable Hudson Valley on a series called “People, Places, Possibilities," to explore aspects of this new reality, and––without minimizing the downsides––to consider the opportunities that arise simply from the pace and scale of change.

In this episode, we speak with Sustainable Hudson Valley's Executive Director, Melissa Everett, about the organization's goals, and where we stand as a region. Stay tuned for future interviews in this special series, right here on Kaatscast!

For more information, visit https://sustainhv.org. 

Thanks also to the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce for their continued support of this podcast.

First published in 1903, The Land of Little Rain is Mary Austin’s classic homage to the American Southwest. Her collection of short stories and essays takes listeners on an enchanted journey through Death Valley, the High Sierras, and the Mojave Desert.

Aridity and heat lie counterpoint to our Catskills’ seemingly limitless water and endless winters. Like other nature writers of her time — John Burroughs and John Muir among them — Mary Austin deftly describes the natural world in which she is immersed, including its creatures and its characters.

This week, hear Ellen Parker's award-winning narration of the first two chapters.

Sponsored by The Mountain Eagle and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce.

We recorded 85-year-old Nick Lyons at the Jerry Bartlett Angling Collection in Phoenicia, NY, as part of its "Sporting Legends of The Catskills" series. 

From that event: "Nick began to fish as a child during summers at the Laurel House in Haines Falls, when the hotel was owned by his grandfather. He went on to wet a line just about everywhere he could find water — from Steeplechase Pier in Brooklyn to the Catskill Mountains, and beyond.

Nick is widely known for his popular “Seasonable Angler” column in Fly Fisherman Magazine, which he wrote for decades. In articles for Fly Fisherman and other publications, and in more than a dozen books, he chonicled his fishing adventures all over the world. Meanwhile, he pursued a busy life as an English professor at Hunter College and as a book publisher.

Nick’s late wife Mari was an accomplished artist who accompanied Nick on many of his journeys. Her watercolors and sketches appear in all of his later books."

Painting courtesy Mari Lyons, from Nick's well-known book “Spring Creek.”

Thanks to Beth Waterman and the Jerry Bartlett Angling Collection; and to our sponsor, the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway. 

In The Quarry Fox, Leslie T. Sharpe chronicles the seasons and the vibrant wildlife of a landscape she cherishes, offering her keen insights in an engaging narrative that celebrates the splendor of the natural world. From crafty foxes and hibernating bears to vulnerable monarch butterflies, The Quarry Fox explores the creatures of the Great Western Catskills in loving, lyrical detail.

Heir to John Burroughs, who tramped through these mountains more than a hundred years before her, Sharpe revisits the meadows, creeks, and bobcat dens, and invites us to come along for the trek.

The Quarry Fox is now an audiobook, published by Silver Hollow Audio and available wherever audiobooks are found. In this episode, we present chapter 4: "Natural Beauties." Enjoy!

Thanks to the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce for their support of this podcast. 

Platte Clove is a steep and narrow valley, accessed by Platte Clove Road between Tannersville and West Saugerties, NY. Part of the road is seasonal use only, offering a gorgeous (and hair-raising) drive April through October. John Farrell and Paul Dibbell are no strangers to this valley, and they talk to us about Elka Park, a 19th-century Victorian community; hiking and driving through the valley; and reminiscences of days past.

Produced with support from the Mountain Cloves Scenic Byway, Mama's Boy Burgers, and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce.

Christie Scheele is an artist living in the Catskills, whose art is collected nationally and internationally by hundreds of private and public collectors. She says, "The single most distinctive aspect to what I do as a landscape painter lies in my ability to reduce a scene to its essentials. This gives the viewer what is important, without the distraction, or visual clutter, of too much detail. Both by providing this overview and by using soft, scumbled edges, these paintings can quiet a viewer's mind and evoke a more direct response."

In this episode, we catch up with Christie by phone to see how she's been handling art-life in quarantine, and then rewind 5 months to a conversation we recorded with a live audience at Albert Shahinian Fine Art Gallery, in Rhinebeck, NY. 

Thanks to our sponsors: Albert Shahinian Fine Art, and the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway.

On October 27, 2018, at the Phoenicia Library's Jerry Bartlett Angling Collection, “First Lady” Joan Wulff and her associate Jen Grossman took the floor to tell the story of Joan's remarkable life and career in the angling world. Hooked on fishing at a very early age, she rose to prominence as a National Casting Champion, winning competitions for both distance (161 feet!) and accuracy from 1943-1960. In the late 1970s, she and her husband, Lee Wulff, opened the Wulff School of Fly Fishing in Lew Beach on the Upper Beaverkill.

Sponsored by the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, with original program support from the Catskill Watershed Corporation. 

Photo credit: Mark Loete

Forest historian Michael Kudish talks trees and forest composition in the Stony Clove, bridging Ulster and Greene Counties. Then, a conversation with forest entomologist Mark Whitmore, on an invasive threat to our Catskill hemlocks. 

Thanks to our sponsors, Greene County Soil & Water; and the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway. 

Full audio edition of John Burroughs’ classic essay, "The Heart of the Southern Catskills." 

In 1886, Princeton geology professor Arnold Henry Guyot determined by survey that Slide Mountain, far to the southwest of the Hudson-hugging mountaintops, was the highest peak in the region, reaching over 4,000 feet. The opening of resorts like the Catskill Mountain House and the Grand Hotel at Highmount drew tourists upstate, and John Burroughs’ account of his 1885 ascent of Slide Mountain offered vacationers an enticing challenge.

Hiking Slide Mountain became then, as it is now, a key attraction. Enjoy the climb with him.

Original 2-disc set, produced in partnership with the John Burroughs' Woodchuck Lodge, is available at Silver Hollow Audio.

In 2022, four Master Gardeners were looking for a new way to bring their expertise to our region, and they did so with a weekly podcast on everything from honeybees to hydrangeas; perennials and pollinators; monarchs, chickens, seeds, goats, and houseplants. 

Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley is a production of Cornell Cooperative Extension, Columbia and Greene Counties.

And speaking of Cornell, the seed for this podcast was planted in the midst of the American Civil War. Tune in to hear how Abraham Lincoln set that ... root ball (?) in motion!

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Thanks to this week's sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, Hanford Mills Museum, and the Mountain Eagle.

Kaatscast is made possible through a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and through the support of listeners like you!

This audio edition of John Burroughs’ classic essay, "Pepacton: A Summer Voyage," is the story of Burroughs’ journey down the meandering river he called Pepacton, the name native people gave the stream. Burroughs was in his 40s when he made the trip, on a raft-type craft he fashioned himself, a grown man playing Huck Finn, traveling his personal Mississippi.

This 19th-century Catskills tale is pure Burroughs, filled with the values and ideas that are at his core: simplicity of life, joy in small things, harmony with the natural world, connection with people, and outdoor adventure.

Original 2-disc set, produced in partnership with the John Burroughs' Woodchuck Lodge, is available at Silver Hollow Audio. 

Thousands infected, businesses shuttered, social distancing, and closed schools. In this special, unscheduled episode, listen in on 5 interviews on the pandemic, and how the Catskills are responding. 

• Lissa Harris, reporter for The River Hudson Valley Newsroom
• "Rachel," a recent college grad who's battling COVID-19 head-on
• Ulster County Economic Development director, Lisa Berger
• Local restaurateur Mike Cioffi
• Onteora school superintendent Victoria McLaren 

Thanks to our interviewees; stay healthy, everyone.

Produced by Silver Hollow Audio

The Catskills, with its beautiful scenery and quirky towns, offers ready-made backdrops for movies and TV. Add talented local crews and substantial tax credits, and it's no wonder increasing numbers of film and television productions are setting up here. In this episode, we speak with the Hudson Valley Film Commission's Laurent Rejto, and with a local innkeeper whose B&B was a key location for an upcoming film about werewolves. 

Thanks to our sponsors, the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway and the Phoenicia Playhouse.

We tour "the loop," of Routes 25 and 23c, that connects Haines Falls to Tannersville, via the mountaintop. Hear from Cyndi LaPierre and Dede Thorpe on historic homes and the origins of Onteora Park; famed residents like Maude Adams (Peter Pan); visiting the Mountain Top Arboretum; and a church that served as a quarantine during the 1914 influenza epidemic (history certainly does repeat itself).

In 1976, renowned artist Jan Sawka fled communist Poland with his wife Hanna, and baby daughter, also named Hanna. They eventually settled in High Falls, NY, and Jan would draw inspiration for his paintings from the Ashokan Reservoir and Catskills Mountains. We spoke with Jan’s family at an exhibition of his work at the Samuel Dorsky Museum of Art, at SUNY New Paltz.

In this episode, hear from Jon Ham and Bob Gildersleeve about the grand hotels that attracted visitors at the turn of the century, and the trains that got them there. Also... "mutton?!" How one hotel's refusal to serve chicken led to the construction of a famous competitor. 

In this episode, you’ll hear from historian Cyndi LaPierre on the history of the word "Catskills," and if you’re wondering why Kaatscast starts with a “K,” instead of a “C,” this segment should help clear things up. In the second half of the show, we’ll travel to Kaaterskill falls with geologist Bob Titus, who takes us back even further, to when the Catskills felt more like … the Bahamas!

Welcome to Kaatscast –– a biweekly podcast delivering interviews, arts, culture, and history, from New York's Catskill mountains. Please subscribe, and be the first to hear all the great content, from quick interviews with Catskills locals, to full-length audio driving tours and fully-produced audiobooks.

In this first episode, we take you on a tour of the Northern Catskills’ Mountain Cloves Scenic Byway. You can listen anywhere, but for the best experience, it’s designed for a westward drive from Palenville, NY, to Hunter, NY, on Route 23a. This is the main stretch. In future episodes, we’ll post side excursions, so please don’t forget to hit that subscribe button.

In this episode … learn about painter Thomas Cole and the Hudson River School, then we’ll delve into the cottage communities of the late 1800s, with a current Twilight Park resident. From there, we speak with a New York State forester on the history of the Catskill Park.  Then we’re off to Tannersville, to meet the mayor, followed by a chat with Hunter Mountain’s Gary Slutzky.

Paul Misko is an avid Catskills hiker, who –– true to his Boy Scout roots –– is always prepared. As spring rolls in and we pull out the hiking boots (maybe shaking out some nuts and nesting material from winter mouse habitation), Paul offers a refresher on what to pack for our walks in the woods, plus some best practices for hiking with kids and leading a group.

For more, check out Paul's blog, Catskill Forest Adventures.

And if you'd like to hear John Burroughs' own account of that ill-fated hike on Slide Mountain, we just happen to have an audio edition of his famous essay -- "The Heart of the Southern Catskills" -- on our audiobook titled Afloat & Afoot.

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Thanks to our sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, Hanford Mills Museum, Ulster Savings Bank, and the Mountain Eagle.

Kaatscast is made possible through a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and the support of listeners like you!

If you've been tuned in to local media for a while, you might Remember Paul Smart, writer for the Woodstock Times and author of the 1994 book, Rock & Woodstock. Paul lives in Mexico now, but he's still writing about the Catskills. And The Strange Recital, "a podcast about fiction that questions the nature of reality," published Paul's latest novel through their very own book imprint.

This week, I sat down with Brent Robison and Tom Newton, both of The Strange Recital and Recital Publishing, to talk podcasting, publishing, and writing. 

Following our interview, stay tuned for a "podcast takeover," and hear the full Strange Recital episode featuring Paul Smart's Overlook.

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Thanks to our sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, Hanford Mills Museum, and the Mountain Eagle.

Kaatscast is made possible through a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and the support of listeners like you!

Dubbed the "first lady of radio," Mary Margaret McBride was a welcome voice in millions of homes in the 1930s, '40s, and '50s, pulling in 6 to 8 million listeners daily! Mary Margaret interviewed 30,000 guests, from Eleanor Roosevelt to the neighborhood plumber, and produced 15,000 shows –– no repeats! Oh, and she was a radio pioneer, broadcasting some of those shows from her converted Catskills barn. When I learned about Mary Margaret, I picked up a copy of Susan Ware's biography, "It's One O'Clock and Here Is Mary Margaret McBride," and reading about her life in journalism, her passion for audio storytelling, and the heartfelt connection she made with her audience, I was awestruck. Join Susan Ware and I for a fascinating conversation about this Catskills broadcast legend.

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Thanks to our sponsors: Ulster Savings Bank, Briars & Brambles Books, and the Mountain Eagle.

Kaatscast is made possible through a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and the support of listeners like you!

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Thanks to Ray Faiola at Chelsea Rialto Studios for bringing McBride's TV pilot to light. See Mary Margaret in her West Shokan home, interviewing actor Eddie Dowling.

Will Nixon has been writing about Woodstock for decades, including a column in the Woodstock Times, and two popular books--Walking Woodstock, and The Pocket Guide to Woodstock, all in collaboration with writer Michael Perkins, who died in 2022. So when Will suggested we hike Overlook Mountain together to talk 'history,' I knew he'd have much to reveal. On today's Kaatscast: join us for a history hike, with Will Nixon. 

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From Atlas Obscura: "Overlook Mountain House: The Skeletal Remains of a Catskills Hotel That Still Welcomes Visitors"

Here's a link to the May-June 1976 edition of The Conservationist, featuring Bill Newgold's article, "My Grandfather and the Mountain"

Many thanks to our sponsors:

The Mountain Eagle and Briars & Brambles Books

Kaatscast is also made possible by a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and by the support of listeners like you!

When we spoke with Michael DiBenedetto for our special Ukraine report in August, 2023, he mentioned he'd consider returning in winter, when the volunteer pool was likely to thin.

Well, Michael's a man of his word, and we caught up with him this week in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second largest city just about 20 miles from the Russian border. He's volunteering at Hell's Kitchen, where borscht, bread, and other foods are prepared daily for soldiers on the front lines.

Liuda is a cofounder of the organization, and she explained how the war in Ukraine, now 2 years running, changed the direction of hers and husband Yehor's lives (they both had careers in IT -- internet technology) before Russia's invasion.

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Bonus interview: Click here for our followup interview with volunteer coordinator Franklin Orosco.

Click here for Franklin's FAQ document on volunteering with Hell's Kitchen.

Want to volunteer or contribute? Franklin's Instagram page is a good place to start. You can also follow Hell's Kitchen (Ukrainian alphabet, though!).

Catskill Neighbors, whose mission it is to "help seniors wishing to remain safe and comfortable in their own homes," was born of necessity in the wake of 2011's Hurricane Irene. Founder, Reverend Ralph Darmstadt, died in January, 2024, but his legacy lives on in an organization that serves seniors in parts of Ulster, Delaware, and Greene counties, where social services are lacking and/or sparse.

Listen in on our conversation with organization officers Patricia Ruane and Gary Kusen, plus a visit with a very appreciative client: 89-year-old Sofie Solber Franzen.

This week, we're also celebrating the release of Rebecca Rego Barry's new book, The Vanishing of Carolyn Wells: Investigations into a Forgotten Mystery Author. Ask for it at your local bookstore or library!

Thanks to our supporters: the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, The Mountain Eagle, and listeners like you!

We would also like to thank the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation for their generous support of this podcast.

Before cell phones, before touch tone, before dial tone, even, if you wanted to make a phone call, you'd pick up the receiver and talk to an operator. If that call was placed in the Catskills in the late 1940s through the early 1960s, Lula Anderson might have been working the switchboard. Lula invited me to her home in Greene County, where she recounted tales of the telephone, and growing up in the Catskills.

Many thanks to the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation for their generous support of this podcast. Thanks also to The Mountain Eagle, and to our local and listener supporters!

More than Maps: Insights from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference

In this episode of Kaatscast, host Brett Barry interviews Melissa Cascini, Senior Program Coordinator for the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, during a hike on the Upper Ridge Trail at the Catskills Visitor Center. Melissa shares her journey with the organization, highlighting the importance of their iconic, durable trail maps and the broader scope of the Trail Conference's activities, including trail maintenance, public land protection, and battling invasive species through innovative programs like the conservation dog team. The discussion also delves into the conference's collaborations with other entities such as the DEC and various local clubs to maintain trails and infrastructure, especially in the Catskills region.

Melissa reflects on her passion for trails, the rewarding experience of working with dedicated volunteers, and how she balances professional responsibilities with her personal love for hiking and the outdoors.

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00:00 Introduction to the Trail Conference

00:17 Iconic Trail Maps

00:53 Meet Melissa Cassini

02:18 History and Mission of the Trail Conference

04:15 Partnerships and Collaborations

05:53 Trail Maintenance and Volunteer Work

09:52 Lean-to Projects and Accessibility

13:19 Getting Involved and Volunteer Opportunities

14:26 Personal Insights and Hobbies

16:05 Conclusion and Upcoming Episodes

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Thanks to this week's sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, Hanford Mills Museum, and The Mountain Eagle.

Kaatscast is made possible through a grant from the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation, and through the support of listeners like you!

Plattekill Mountain, in Roxbury, is the last of the Catskills' independent ski areas, boasting 1100 vertical feet, 40 trails, and 4 lifts.

But those statistics aren't necessarily the draw at this laid-back family-run resort. Plattekill's rustic lodge, with its rough pine walls and wood burning stove, is reminiscent of other small ski areas that were more prevalent a few decades ago.

When we reached out for an interview, our email was quickly answered by none other than the owner. Join us for a conversation with Plattekill's Danielle Vajtay, with "special musical guests" and longtime Plattekill aficionados George, Foster, and Chris.

Kaatscast is a production of Silver Hollow Audio. Be sure to subscribe, wherever you get your podcasts, so you never miss an episode. You can also find us at kaatscast.com, and on instagram @kaatscast. Many thanks to the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation for their generous support of this podcast. Kaatscast is also supported by local organizations and listeners like you. 

Happy new year, and welcome to the first episode of our 5th season here at Kaatscast. To ring in the new year, we thought it would be fun to raise a glass with the owners of  three breweries across the region. And the breweries we're highlighting don't just call the Catskills home ... the Catskills are brewed into every pint, whether that's by starting with clear mountain spring water –– at Sullivan County's Upward Brewing; incorporating flavorful foraged ingredients -- at Greene County's West Kill Brewing –– (with a new satellite tasting room in Ulster County); or honoring history of place -- at Delaware County's Union Grove Distillery, where Calico Outlaw Brewing is setting up shop! Three breweries, 4 counties, all Catskills! 

A visit to the North Pole! In an hour and ten minutes? Where can one catch this train, you ask? Why, the Kingston Plaza parking lot, of course, where the Catskill Mountain Railroad embarks on a magical Christmas expedition every holiday season. And while Santa's schedule is booked solid this time of year, you can still ride with him through December 29th! On today's show, production assistant Mollie Zoldan and I scored two coveted golden tickets to the North Pole. Come along for the ride!

Many thanks to this week's sponsors: ⁠Briars & Brambles Books⁠, ⁠The Mountain Eagle⁠, Ulster Savings Bank, and the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway.

Kaatscast would like to thank the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation for a generous grant that helps ensure the continued production of this podcast.

And thanks, as always, to our listener supporters!

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Cheyenne Mallo and partner Zac Schiff are the makers and purveyors of Cheyenne Mallo Pottery, in Olivebridge, NY. Their signature mugs feature raised topographic maps of Catskills places, like Overlook Mountain, North South Lake, Kaaterskill Falls, and West Kill. Mugs feature black topographic lines transected by red dotted hiking trails, and unique features like fire towers, lakes, and waterfalls. On today's Kaatscast, maps to drink by, crafted in the Catskills.

"Mug shot" courtesy of Cheyenne Mallo.

Many thanks to this week's sponsors: ⁠Briars & Brambles Books⁠, ⁠The Mountain Eagle⁠, and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce. 

Kaatscast would like to thank the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation for a generous grant that helps ensure the continued production of this podcast.

And thanks, as always, to our listener supporters!

When it comes to Thanksgiving feasting, 2/3 of Americans prefer side dishes to the main entrée. So we visited two of the Catskills' best chefs for a fresh take on the beloved side dish!

At Tannersville's craftsman-style Deer Mountain Inn, chef Corwin Kave shows us how to whip up a fresh and flavorful Charred Broccoli Di Cicco with preserved lemon aioli and crispy garlic.

And at Big Indian's Peekamoose Restaurant and Tap Room, chef Devin Mills takes us through the steps of a savory sweet potato gratin.

Click here for an ingredients list for both dishes, plus a gem of a cauliflower recipe passed down from host Brett Barry's grandmother!

Many thanks to this week's sponsors: ⁠Briars & Brambles Books⁠, ⁠The Mountain Eagle⁠, Ulster Savings Bank, and the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway. 

Kaatscast would like to thank the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation for a generous grant that helps ensure the continued production of this podcast.

And thanks, as always, to our listener supporters!

Happy Thanksgiving!

On today's Kaatscast, we checked in with Bill Merchant, Deputy Director for Collections, historian, and curator at the D&H Canal museum, recently transplanted to the historic Depuy Canal House in High Falls, NY. Not every visit to the museum comes with Bill's VIP tour, so here's an opportunity to soak up his encyclopedic footnotes before embarking on your own to the D&H Canal Museum.

Many thanks to this week's sponsors: ⁠Briars & Brambles Books⁠, ⁠The Mountain Eagle⁠, and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce.

Kaatscast would like to thank the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation for a generous grant that helps ensure the continued production of this podcast.

And thanks, as always, to our listener supporters!

Bill Abranowicz is a renowned photographer who started snapping pictures 50 years ago. Bill's career has taken him around the globe many times over, taking pictures for the likes of Condé Nast Traveler, The New York Times Magazine, Vanity Fair, Architectural Digest, Vogue, Bon Appétit, Martha Stewart Living, and the list goes on. In his latest photography book, Country Life: Homes of the Catskill Mountains and Hudson Valley Bill turns his camera on our very own Catskills, and a portfolio of 20 magnificent homes.

Thanks to everyone who entered to win Bill's book. The giveaway is now closed; tune in to our next show to hear who won!

Many thanks to this week's sponsors:  ⁠Briars & Brambles Books⁠, Ulster Savings Bank, the ⁠Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway⁠, and ⁠The Mountain Eagle⁠.

Kaatscast would like to thank the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation for a generous grant that helps ensure the continued production of this podcast.

And thanks, as always, to our listener supporters!

On the heals of Indigenous People's Day, Kaatscast sat down with Justin Wexler, of Wild Hudson Valley, for an overview of the Catskills' own native history. If you've ever wondered about the people who came before us, and where they are today, consider this "Indigenous Catskills 101." For a glossary of terms and recommendations for further reading, download Justin's handy Lenape Resources PDF.

Kaatscast would like to thank the Nicholas J. Juried Family Foundation for a generous grant that helps ensure the continued production of this podcast, with a renewed focus on Catskills history –– starting with this very episode. 

Thanks also to Briars & Brambles Books, the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, and The Mountain Eagle for their continued support.