Explore every episode of the podcast Kaatscast: the Catskills Podcast

This episode of Kaatscast delves into the transformative period of the 1830s in the United States, marked by mass enfranchisement and significant demographic changes.

The focus narrows to New York's Anti-Rent War (1839-1845), a period of political violence rooted in immigration anxiety and financial distress. Rebecca Rego Barry, our new literary correspondent (!), interviews author Jennifer Kabat about her new book, The Eighth Moon, which explores the Anti-Rent War and its legacy in the Catskills and beyond.

Kabat shares her research process, the radical political history she uncovered, and personal anecdotes about moving from London to the Catskills. The conversation evaluates the parallels between past and present political climates, culminating in a discussion about belonging and rebellion in rural America.

00:00 The Radical 1830s: A Time of Change

00:27 Exploring New York's Anti-Rent War

01:34 Interview with Jennifer Kabat

03:34 Discovering Local History

08:33 The Anti-Rent War Unfolds

17:07 Modern Parallels and Reflections

21:42 Community Connections and Belonging

27:31 Upcoming Works and Final Thoughts

34:39 Conclusion and Credits

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)

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!

In the early 20th century, ⁠Cauliflower Was King⁠ in the western Catskills, and –– especially in the good years –– farmers called it "white gold." Historian Diane Galusha describes the origins of cauliflower farming in Margaretville, the rise and fall of the industry from the 1890s to the 1950s (and beyond), and the notable contribution of the Van Benschoten family. Plus, voices from the annual ⁠Cauliflower Festival⁠, celebrating its 20th year on September 21, 2024.

00:00 Introduction to Cauliflower and Personal Stories

00:55 Margaretville Cauliflower Festival Announcement

01:14 Historical Significance of Cauliflower in the Catskills

02:28 Interview with Historian Diane Galusha

03:47 The Rise and Fall of Cauliflower Farming

10:39 Challenges and Decline of the Industry

14:58 Legacy and Memories of Cauliflower Farming

20:11 Modern-Day Celebrations and Personal Anecdotes

22:59 Conclusion and Podcast Information

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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!

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

(Photo courtesy of Diane Galusha)

In this episode of Kaatscast, we explore the journey of Emily Li Mandri, founder of the women's accessories brand MLE, based in Saugerties, New York. Emily shares insights into the challenges and rewards of running a fashion brand in Upstate New York, her commitment to eco-conscious materials and sustainable fashion, and the influence of her family's background in apparel. We also hear from her assistant, New Paltz theater grad Kiana Duggan-Haas, about the importance of sustainability in the fashion industry. Tune in for an inspiring discussion on ethical fashion practices, local craftsmanship, and a life/work balance in the Catskills.

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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!

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00:00 Introduction to MLE

01:40 Meet the Founder: Emily Li Mandri

03:20 Sustainability in Fashion

05:58 Challenges and Innovations in Sustainable Fashion

12:51 Living and Working in the Catskills

14:44 Building a Local and National Brand

17:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Mark Hearon didn't always drink coffee, but when he got started, he was all in. Now, he's roasting fair trade organic coffee at an 1872 general store that also carries gourmet sandwiches and local essentials –– beer, bread, milk, fishing bait, even a fill-up for your car from a vintage gas pump, making it a unique one-stop-shop for both locals and travelers.




Joined by his daughter Ashley Hearon-Smith, the store’s part-time publicist and social media manager, Mark shares his journey from discovering coffee roasting in California to perfecting his craft in the Catskills. The episode covers the store’s rich history, the roasting process, and the community’s enthusiastic support, including local products such as meats, cheeses, and fresh baked goods.




https://www.charlottevillegeneralstore.com




00:00 Introduction

00:38 Meet Mark Hearon: The Man Behind the Coffee

01:54 History of the Charlotteville General Store

03:08 Mark's Journey into Coffee Roasting

06:13 Ethically Sourced Coffee Beans

07:18 Ashley Hearon-Smith: Publicist and Media Guru

09:38 Roasting Process and Local Products

14:57 Tasting the Coffee and a Sampling of Sandwiches

16:21 Local Products and Community Support

17:47 Conclusion and How to Visit

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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!

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

Michael Kudish is a Catskills legend and the authority on Catskills trees and forests. In 1971, Kudish earned his PhD with the thesis, "Vegetational History of the Catskill High Peaks." Five decades later, that research is ongoing.

In 2000, Purple Mountain Press published his landmark book, The Catskill Forest: A History. Now, an updated 6-volume set is in the works. I met up with Michael at his home/research library in Delaware County, to hear about his latest research sampling Catskills bogs and radio carbon dating peat and charcoal for even more insights into our Catskills forest past. 

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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!

Kaatscast: the Catskills Podcast was just recognized for the third consecutive year as the "Best Regional Podcast" in the 2024 Chronogrammies! Thank you for your votes, and please take a moment to rate and review us on the app of your choice so even more listeners can find us!

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00:00 Introduction to Michael Kudish and His Work

00:46 Meeting Michael Kudish: A Visit to His Research Library

01:09 Sponsors and Supporters of Kaatscast

02:09 Michael Kudish's Research Journey

04:50 Understanding the Catskills' Unique Vegetation

08:47 The Impact of Glaciation on Catskills Vegetation

12:41 Discovering History Through Bogs

19:03 Defining and Differentiating Bogs and Fens

28:41 Discovering Ancient Moss in the Catskills

29:08 Peat Sampling Techniques and Challenges

29:57 Radiocarbon Dating: Methods and Costs

31:01 Funding Research Through Retirement

32:09 Transitioning to Writing: The Next Chapter

32:54 Expanding Knowledge: From One Volume to Six

34:22 Consistent Vegetation Over Millennia

37:41 Climate Change Insights

38:39 Exploring the Extent of Catskill Bogs

39:52 Ancient Charcoal and Forest Fires

42:48 Uncovering Prehistoric Forests

47:04 The Six-Volume Catskill Forest History

50:16 The Joy and Work of Field Research

52:15 The Interconnected Lives of Trees

53:45 Conclusion and Future Work

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. Hark! On this day's Kaatscast, we journey to the quaint village of Hunter in fair New York, whereupon Catskill Mountain Shakespeare doth present a stirring rendition of the noble tragedy, Julius Caesar. Attend thee this discourse with the esteemed founder and artistic director, Sarah Reny. And verily, seize thee a billet, for this performance doth breathe new life into a timeless saga.

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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!

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

Poster design by Nicole Caputo; courtesy CMS.

The Bruderhof is a worldwide community of 3,000 Christians who, inspired by the early church, share their money and possessions, and practice "full-time discipleship," working, dining, and singing together. Perhaps you've bumped into one of their members out in the world (women can be identified by their conservative dress, reminiscent of Amish or colonial attire).

Here in the Catskills is a sizable community of 240 residents, in Greene County's Platte Clove. They invited me in for a firsthand look at life in the community, and they graciously answered even my most pointed questions regarding a lifestyle that might seem foreign to others. The Bruderhof aren't reclusive, though, and as the Bible instructs, they are the best kind of neighbors.

Join us on this special trip to the Platte Clove Bruderhof community. 

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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!

Kaatscast: the Catskills Podcast was just recognized for the third consecutive year as the "Best Regional Podcast" in the 2024 Chronogrammies! Thank you for your votes, and please take a moment to rate and review us on the app of your choice so even more listeners can find us!

Dede Terns-Thorpe is the historian for the Town of Hunter, referred to locally as "the mountain top," and comprising the villages of Hunter and Tannersville, and the hamlets of Edgewood, Elka Park, Lanesville, and Platte Clove, plus the historic private communities: Onteora Park, Twilight Park, and Elka Park. Dede's passionate about the history of this place, and she's got her own history here, too, which is mostly what we talked about when we met at Tannersville's Mountain Top library. We were joined by Dede's husband Ed, a Mountain Top native with a few stories of his own to share!

Photo courtesy Dede Terns-Thorpe

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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!

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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

Welcome to a special edition of Kaatscast: the Catskills Podcast. This is episode 100, and we've got lots in store –– including a conversation with a 100-year-old Catskills native; an interview by Mollie Zoldan with the host of this podcast ... me! And a top 10 list of our most listened-to stories.

Got a few minutes? We'd love to get your feedback -- here's a link to our listener survey. Send us your thoughts, and we'll send you a sticker!

Many thanks to our sponsors: The Mountain Eagle, Hanford Mills Museum, Briars and Brambles Books, and the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce –– we're a member -- are you?

Don't miss another episode! Subscribe to our newsletter for biweekly reminders + behind-the-scenes photos and show notes.

In late September, the basketball court at Shandaken's Glenbrook Park serves as a community dance floor, where area residents and visitors are transported through music to eastern Europe. This year marks the third anniversary of the  Balkan Mountains Music Festival. Hear from organizers Beth Waterman, Max Fass, and Samantha Awand-Gortel about this festive Catskills tradition.

Thanks to our sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, The Mountain Eagle, the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, and Hanford Mills Museum.

If you'd like to contribute, please join our listener supporters here!

Photo courtesy of Carol Seitz.

Late last year, and 20 episodes ago, Michael DiBenedetto joined us in the studio and made a convincing case for copper bullets over lead, citing collateral damage to our Catskills bald eagles. On today's show, we reconnected with Michael -- in Ukraine -- where he's volunteering as a driver with an organization called Road to Relief. Michael drives a truck in the Catskills, too, making deliveries for his company, Vly Mountain Spring Water. That's given him some preparation for the mission at hand, but driving on the front lines of Donbas, Michael's front and center in a war that's a year-and-a-half on, with no end in sight. Also hear from a Ukrainian nurse and translator on Michael's team of relief workers. Plus, a special song by singer/songwriter David Rovics.

Many thanks to our sponsors: Briars & Brambles Books, The Mountain Eagle, the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, Ulster Savings Bank, and Hanford Mills Museum.

Ann Cihanek is a goat farmer whose herd of semi-retired goats are employed across the region to clear sites of invasive plants, brush, and overgrowth. We caught up with 10 of her Green Goats at the John Burroughs Memorial State Historic Site, in Roxbury, NY. Years of overgrowth on hilly, sensitive terrain, called for a novel approach to restore a historic view of the fields and mountains below. Many thanks to our sponsors: Briars and Brambles Books, the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, Hanford Mills Museum, and the Mountain Eagle. Thanks also to our listener-supporters!

In July, a small group of hikers was apprehended and ticketed for leaving two Adirondack chairs at the summit of Slide Mountain. Those hikers' actions, while misguided, may have been good-intentioned. But they fly in the face of outdoor ethics and "leaving no trace."

At the core of "Leave No Trace" are 7 principles that provide a framework of minimum impact practices for safe and sustainable experiences in nature. Moe Lemire is a licensed outdoor guide and a LNT master educator. We joined him at the epitome of a "high-use" spot -- Kaaterskill Falls -- to learn more about planning for and engaging in minimally-impactful Catskills excursions.

Many thanks to our sponsors:

Ulster Savings Bank, Briars and Brambles Books, Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, Hanford Mills Museum, and the Mountain Eagle.

Thanks also to our listener-supporters!

Nearly a century ago, famed photographer and innovator Emile Brunel purchased Boiceville's Brown Hotel and transformed it into Le Chalet Indien, a world-class resort frequented by famed artists and politicians of the day. Brunel's fascination with Native American culture manifested in an adjoining sculpture park, which still stands and is now stewarded by the Friends of Brunel Park, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Even concrete is no match for a hundred years of Catskills weather, though, and the sculptures and totems Brunel left behind were in desperate need of restoration. So, co-founders Cynthia and Evgeny Nikitin organized a matching donation fundraising campaign to save the collection for future generations. 

Anthony Mennella and his team were hired to rehabilitate the largest of the sculptures, transforming the space from a "delightful ruin," to a welcoming, lush garden of plants and sculpted works.

Join us at Brunel Park, where we met up with co-founder Cynthia Nikitin and mason Anthony Mennella. Then, make a point to see this iconic roadside attraction for yourself!

Thanks to our sponsors:

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

And listeners like you!

Wave Farm –– in Greene County's Acra, NY –– is a 29-acre campus that's not only home to WGXC 90.7 FM, but a hub for terrestrial radio, transmission arts, and resident artists. Hear from Executive Director Galen Joseph-Hunter how Wave Farm has been pioneering the "transmission arts" genre for more than 25 years.

Thanks to our sponsors:

• Briars & Brambles Books
• Hanford Mills Museum
• Ulster Savings Bank
• Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce
• The Mountain Eagle

Visit our website to make a donation, sign up for our mailing list, and search through our entire catalog of episodes!

Silver Hollow Audio had the honor of recording –– and this month, publishing –– the audiobook version of Kim Brown Seely's Uncharted: A Couple's Empty-Nest Adventure Sailing from One Life to Another. Faced with an empty nest, stagnant jobs, and an economy in freefall, Kim and her husband decided to embark on a grand adventure. On an impulse, they purchased a sailboat, learned to sail, and set off toward untamed wilderness in search of the elusive blonde Kermode bear that only lives in a secluded forest in the Pacific Northwest. Hear the first two chapters of Kim's memoir, plus an exclusive interview with the author about her experience, both on a 54-foot sailboat in Canada's wilderness, and in a 5'x5' soundproof vocal booth in the Catskills, where she narrated the 9-hour audiobook edition.

Congratulations to the winners of our audiobook drawing! The contest has ended, but the audiobook is widely available. For a list of Silver Hollow Audio's full lineup of award-winning audiobooks and where to find them, click here.

Thanks to our supporters:

Briars and Brambles Books, Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, Hanford Mills Museum, The Mountain Eagle, and listeners like you!

The Catskills naturalist John Burroughs once wrote, "The place to observe nature is where you are; the walk to take to-day is the walk you took yesterday. You will not find just the same things: both the observed and the observer has changed; the ship is on another tack in both cases." His 1886 essay, "A Sharp Lookout" predates terms like "sit spot," "forest bathing," and "shinrin-yoku" by about a century. But the sentiment is the same, and Catskills practitioner Lara Land is a master at it.

Join us for some forest therapy along the Andes Rail Trail and reconnect with the outdoors!

Lara Land can be found at LaraLand.us. Lara is the author of The Essential Guide to Trauma Sensitive Yoga, and she hosts the podcast, Beyond Trauma.

Thanks to this week's sponsors:

Briars and Brambles Books

Ulster Savings Bank

Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway

Hanford Mills Museum

The Mountain Eagle

When Mel Bellar established his Andes, NY landscape design company, the Catskills were considered "zone 4" on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. Thanks (?) to climate change and warmer winters, the region is now solidly in "zone 5." We talked with Mel about that shift and how it's reshaping our options. Join our conversation for many more Catskills landscaping considerations, like complementing the environment with natural materials, Mel's favorite plants, go-to suppliers, and things we tend to do ... but shouldn't (landscape fabric, anyone?). Thanks to this week's sponsors ... and listener supporters! The Mountain Eagle Hanford Mills Museum Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce Briars & Brambles Books

Spring has sprung in the Catskills, and with the reemergence of our native flora and fauna, invasive species are also happy to awaken. Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) director John Thompson tells us what to watch out for, how to report our findings, and what we can do to stem the tide of invasive pests. Plus, two emerging invasives to add to our radar!

Report your findings at: https://www.imapinvasives.org/

Thanks to our sponsors:

Briars & Brambles Books, Hanford Mills Museum, Ulster Savings Bank
Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, and The Mountain Eagle.

Photo courtesy Rhododendrites, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

April is Financial Literacy Month!

It's also National Jazz Appreciation Month, National Fresh Celery Month, Foot Health Awareness Month, World Landscape Architecture Month, and National Soft Pretzel Month. But let's just stick to finance for now, a topic that affects us all throughout the year. And for a refresher on that topic, we met up with our local bank branch manager, Samantha Awand-Gortel, for a conversation on banking and finance in the Catskills and beyond.

Did we mention April is also National Poetry month? Hey, ChatGPT, how about a limerick on financial literacy to get us started?

There once was a person named Jill
Who never learned to manage her bill
But with financial literacy in hand
She could finally understand
And now she's financially fit and chill!

It's no Carolyn Wells, but honestly, financial literacy poetry is hard to find.

Pictured: Ulster Savings Bank Phoenicia branch manager Samantha Awand-Gortel, with a poster by some appreciative (and financially literate) Phoenicia Elementary Schoolers.

Many thanks to our sponsors:

The Mountain Eagle, Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce, and Briars & Brambles Books

Just two weeks before the start of trout season, the Catskills lost a paragon of angling. Henry "Hank" Rope, Jr. wore out a pair of wading shoes every year, fishing Catskills creeks and tributaries. Hank shared his love of the sport through his Big Indian Guide Service and volunteered his time with Trout in the Classroom at a community elementary school.

We recorded Mr. Rope on several occasions over the years, and this week we're joined by two friends –– Bethia Waterman and Jane Wolfrom –– with memories to share.

Hear more from Hank in Sporting Legends of the Catskills, where he joined panel discussions for "Outdoor Guides of the Catskills: The 'Adventure Experts'" and “On the River with Authors, Guides and Catskill Characters" at Phoenicia Library's Jerry Bartlett Angling Collection.

Thank you to our sponsors:

The Mountain Eagle, the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway, Ulster Savings Bank, and Briars & Brambles Books

Radio Catskill hit the airwaves in 1990 and operated out of a hydro-powered station in Jeffersonville. But when a building was recently offered in nearby Liberty, WJFF shed its 30-year skin and relocated to the now fully-renovated, modern production facility. Technological advances aside, this small public radio station is still very much focused on local news and Catskills culture.

Many thanks to our sponsors:

Briars & Brambles Books

The Mountain Eagle

Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway

As Catskills black bears emerge from hibernation, we spoke with three bear experts –– wildlife rehabilitator Kristine Flones, and conservationist couple Patti and Bill Rudge –– who shared some handy tips for coexisting peaceably with our Catskills bears, including ...

• the best time to wrap up your wild bird food (and why)
• the importance of taking out the trash (at the crack of dawn)
• equipping your Catskills home with a ... marine signal horn? 
• resisting the urge to run from a bear!
• identifying a mom with cubs
• creating "space" on the trails

Congratulations to listener Douglas Black, winner of the Attwood Bellow Signal Horn!

Thanks to our sponsors:

Ulster Savings Bank
Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce
Briars & Brambles Books

Thanks also to The Mountain Eagle, and listeners like you!

As any skier knows, squeezing into a pair of ski boots can be quite the challenge. For skiers with physical and cognitive disabilities, though, preparing for a day on the slopes can require exponentially more time and effort. But that doesn't stop skiers like Todd Reid, who lives with spina bifida, from savoring a day on skis.  

At the base of Windham Mountain, the 7200 square foot Gwen Allard Adaptive Sports Center is headquarters for the Adaptive Sports Foundation, which, for almost 40 years, has provided "profound and life changing experiences for children and adults with physical and cognitive disabilities and chronic illnesses through outdoor physical activity, education, support, and community."

Join us as we ski along with ASF's dedicated staff and volunteers, and hear from a few of their extraordinary clients.

Thanks to our sponsors:

Briars and Brambles Books
The Mountain Eagle
Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce

If the Catskills seem busier lately, you're not imagining it. According to a new report, visits to the Catskills more than doubled between 2018 and 2021, when the region welcomed an estimated 12 million travelers––that's roughly equivalent to the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and Yellowstone, combined!

The ongoing deluge, it turns out, is the very reason for this report, prepared over two years by the Catskill Advisory Group, or CAG, and recently delivered the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. Goals include: 1) balancing the increasing recreational use of the Park with 2) the continued protection and science-informed management of our natural resources while 3) ensuring the experience of using the Park is welcoming, accessible, and inclusive.

To get a handle on all this, we spoke with Jeff Senterman, executive director of the Catskill Center, and a member of the advisory group that authored the report.

Download the report here.

This episode was sponsored by:

Ulster Savings Bank
Catskill Mountain Scenic Byway
The Mountain Eagle

And listeners like you!

Washington Irving was an early author to set his fictional tale in the Catskills, but he certainly wasn't the last. If Rip Van Winkle were alive today, he'd have no shortage of contemporary Catskills suspense stories to help keep him awake. Kelli Huggins is on a mission to read all things "Catskills," and she hankers for horror. If a novel features a Catskills town, hotel, or reservoir, it will likely make it onto Kelli's reading list. 

Here's a short list of Kelli's recent faves:

Just Like Mother, by Anne Heltzel
The Hotel Neversink, by Adam O'Fallon Price
Echo, Thomas Olde Heuvelt
The Grave Keepers, by Elizabeth Byrne
Bellweather Rhapsody, by Kate Racculia
Night Film, by Marisha Pessl

Kelli was a speaker on one on Lize Mogel's Walking the Watershed tours, where she recommended some watershed horror tales! She's a social media specialist for the Fenimore Art Museum and the Farmers' Museum in Cooperstown. 

Thanks to our sponsors: 

Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway
The Mountain Eagle

Photo by rikka ameboshi: https://www.pexels.com/photo/opened-book-on-tree-root-3358707/

There's a "herd" of sewing machines in the hundreds, in Delancey, NY, and they're in the loving and capable hands of one Billy Hancock, owner of Billy's Make & Mend, an outpost for sewing machine repair and maintenance, sewing work, machine lessons, and plenty of history. 

Thanks to our latest sponsor, Ulster Savings Bank, which was established the same year as the Singer sewing machine company, 1851! Thanks also to the continued support of the Catskill Mountains Scenic Byway and The Mountain Eagle. 

To start off the new year, we visited Shea in the Catskills, a tarot practitioner, artist, facilitator, organizer + contemplative, for a (deeper than perhaps expected) conversation on community, tarot, inspiration ... and some insights for 2023!

Check out Shea's own podcasts! They're simply produced, clean, and inviting -- rumination and curation in a welcoming voice ...

Shea in the Catskills
The Ritualists

Many thanks to our sponsors: the Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce and The Mountain Eagle

Just off the Kingston traffic circle, you'll find a couple of gas stations, a used car dealer, and a drive-through vegetarian burger joint. But in the 1940s, this was the site of "Seal College," a training facility for some of the most famous sea lions to share the stage with the likes of Abbott and Costello, Bob Hope, and Ed Sullivan. In his new book, Sharkey: When Sea Lions Were Stars of Show Business, author Gary Bohan, Jr., delves deep into the history of his great-grandfather's trained sea lion business, situated on the Esopus Creek (water source for the sea lion tanks), with plenty of interesting crossover into entertainment and broadcast history, much of which was happening just 90 miles or so south of Kingston, in NYC, and beyond.

Thanks to everyone who submitted their name in the book drawing, and congratulations to the winner, Bill Birns!

Thanks to our sponsors:
Central Catskills Chamber of Commerce
The Mountain Eagle
Briars & Brambles Books