Kaatscast: the Catskills Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In 1845, a feudal land system that had survived the American Revolution finally met its match in the hills above Andes, New York — and the clash left a county undersheriff dead and hundreds of farmers under arrest. The Anti-Rent War was a massive, organized uprising that had been building since the late 1830s and swept across upstate New York — yet it remains largely unknown outside this region.

Victoria Kupchinetsky and Misha Gutkin are Russian-born journalists who stumbled upon the story at an Andes community day parade — and couldn't let it go. The result is Calico Rebellion, a documentary that centers the voices of local descendants, historians, and storytellers to bring this "final chapter of the American Revolution" back to life.

We talk about the patroon system and its perpetual leases that kept tenant farmers from ever owning the land they cleared; the Calico Indians, disguised farmers who donned homemade masks and calico dresses to resist rent collectors; the dinner horns repurposed as an alarm network; and the fatal confrontation on Dingle Hill that set off a chain of trials, pardons, and ultimately, legislative reform.

Victoria and Misha also reflect on what it meant — as immigrants from the Soviet Union — to dig into this forgotten corner of American democracy, and what the Anti-Rent War says about the ongoing work of keeping a democratic system alive.

Visit calicorebellion.com for Calico Rebellion screenings, events, and info.

What did Beethoven's piano actually sound like? At the Catskill Mountain Foundation's Piano Performance Museum in Hunter, New York, you don't have to wonder — you can sit down and play one.

Brett Barry visits the museum at the Doctorow Center for the Arts with performing arts director Pam Weisberg and docent Stacey Bowers, who guide him through dozens of historic instruments spanning three centuries — from a mid-18th century French harpsichord to a nine-foot Baldwin concert grand that once traveled with Liberace.

Along the way: the difference between a harpsichord's pluck and a piano's strike, why Beethoven's piano had four strings per key, the short life of the American square piano, and what it means to let the instrument tell you what it can do.

The museum is open Saturdays 11 a.m.–3 p.m.; group tours available by arrangement. For performances, schedules, and more: catskillmtn.org/piano-performance-museum

Singer‑songwriter Steve Koester, the creative force behind Two Dark Birds, joins Brett in the Kaatscast studio for a deep, generous conversation about songwriting, place, and the long arc of making music in the Catskills. With the band’s fifth studio album, Dreamers of the Golden Dream, Vol. 1, arriving February 27, Steve reflects on the evolution of his sound—from full‑band records to quiet, introspective work and back again—and how living in the mountains continues to shape his writing.

Steve shares the origin story of Two Dark Birds, the move from New York City to the Catskills, the band’s shifting lineup, and the role of analog recording in a digital world. He talks about the emotional terrain behind songs like “Born to Fall,” “Good Boy Good,” and “Kid, I’m Fried,” and performs several tracks live in the studio.

The conversation also explores the realities of releasing music in 2026, the joys and limits of streaming platforms, the resurgence of vinyl, and the creation of Steve’s independent label, Vfib Records. 

Music Featured

• “Born to Fall” — live in studio

• “Good Boy Good” — from Dreamers of the Golden Dream, Vol. 1

• “Kid, I’m Fried” — live in studio

• “Girl of Summer” — album track (closing)

Links & Resources

• Two Dark Birds — ⁠⁠https://twodarkbirds.com⁠⁠

• Vfib Recordings — ⁠⁠https://www.vfibrecordings.com⁠⁠

• The Woods Studio (Todd Adelman) — ⁠⁠https://thewoods.studio⁠⁠

• Bearsville Theater — ⁠⁠https://bearsvilletheater.com⁠⁠

Photo credit: Sam Erickson

In our last episode we took a ride on the old Ulster & Delaware rails with Rail Explorers, a pedal bike experience in Phoenicia, NY. This week, we're at the neighboring Empire State Railway Museum, at home in the historic 1899 Phoenicia train station since 1983, for a look back at Catskills railroad history. Curator Tom  Comito tells us about the 1913 peak of travel on these tracks, restoration projects underway, and the museum's evolving relationship with rail tourists.

Many thanks to our sponsors:

Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway
Hanford Mills Museum
Briars & Brambles Books
The Mountain Eagle 

From the late 19th- to the early 20th-century, passengers could board an Ulster & Delaware train in Kingston and ride straight up through the Catskills, to Oneonta. These days, you can still experience a 4-mile stretch of that track, between Mt. Tremper and Phoenicia, with one small caveat. You have to pedal! Rail Explorers has repurposed a few such stretches of track nationwide, including in Rhode Island, Cooperstown, Las Vegas, and the Catskills. Join us as we pedal a "quad explorer" (the "Cadillac" of the fleet) on a scenic "River Run" tour above the Esopus creek.

We'll hear from Catskills division manager Casey Farrell, tour guide Fatima Duque, and Empire State Railway Museum curator Tom Comito. Lots more from Tom in our next episode, so stay tuned!

Many thanks to our sponsors:
The Mountain Eagle
Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway
Hanford Mills Museum
Briars and Brambles Books

Long before "THE" concert so closely associated with Woodstock, "Maverick Concerts" have been delighting fans of classical music for more than 100 years. We sat in the historic concert hall with music director Alexander Platt to hear about the history of the utopian Maverick art colony, the concert series that stemmed from it, and some 21st-century improvements to the Maverick experience. Plus, a look back at a groundbreaking John Cage composition that premiered at Maverick concert hall 70 years ago this month. For that, we get insights from music journalist and composer Kyle Gann. 

Interested in taking in a Maverick concert? Here's a link for upcoming events and tickets.
And to learn more about John Cage's 4'33", check out Gann's book, No Such Thing as Silence.

Thank you to our sponsors:
Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce
Hanford Mills Museum
The Mountain Eagle

Earlier this summer, we joined dozens of auto enthusiasts for a 135-mile loop on the Schoharie Turnpike - Kaaterskill Clove Road Rally, one in a series of rallies that pairs Catskills scenery and history with the love of driving. Join us as we drive the northern Catskills in some unique and well-loved automobiles. More drives in September and October! To join in the fun, check out all 4 Catskills rallies at Historic Automobile Endurance Runs. 

Thanks to our sponsors:

Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway
Hanford Mills Museum
The Mountain Eagle

Stephen Sautner is a lifelong fisherman, environmental activist, and the author of several books on those topics. And while his passion for fishing has taken him to the Falkland Islands, Cuba, the Zambezi River, and even ... New Jersey, a rustic fishing cabin in Hancock, New York, is Stephen's happy place. Tune it to hear Stephen's thoughts on trout, Catskills living, and being a steward of the places we love.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Hanford Mills Museum
Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce
The Mountain Eagle

Kaatscast was voted BEST REGIONAL PODCAST in the 2022 Chronogrammies! 

Anne Hall's addiction to flower growing is a boon to Catskills designers, florists, restaurants, and individuals who want locally grown, chemical-free flowers in another league from generic supermarket fare. In February, we put out an episode on Jarita's, a local florist serving the Catskills for 45 years. One of our listeners heard that episode and said, hey, how about a story on a local grower? Well, we love to hear from listeners, and we were interested to know more about Catskills flower farms, and so here we are! Crespell is a queer women-owned flower farm and CSA in Lexington, NY.

Many thanks to our sponsors: The Mountain Eagle, the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, and Hanford Mills Museum.

If you're looking for a unique way to experience Catskills views, there's no better time to check out the Catskills' 6 hiker-accessible fire towers! The 2022 Catskills Fire Tower Challenge encourages hikers to visit all 6, with the added bonus of a challenge patch, a subscription to Conservationist magazine, and other prizes. 

We met with the Catskill Center's Olivia Bernard, a Visitor Experience Coordinator at the Catskills Visitor Center, for a rundown of the challenge, a little fire tower history, and a climb to the top of the Upper Esopus fire tower, right there on the visitor center's property in Mt. Tremper, NY. 

If you want to hear about a 7th fire tower coming back online, check out our story from Bramley Mountain. 

Thanks to our sponsors:
The Mountain Eagle
The Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway
Hanford Mills Museum