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 Mount ..read more

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 ..read more

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. Enter here for a chance to win a signed copy of Bill's book! Many thanks ..read more

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 ..read more

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'r ..read more

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 cou ..read more

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 ..read more

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 ..read more

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 engag ..read more

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-founde ..read more