Best Silver Hollow Audio Podcasts (2024)

1
The Anti-Rent War's Populist Legacy with Author Jennifer Kabat 37:26

5h ago37:26

37:26

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 co…

1
Season of the Witch: Witchcraft and Maleficium in the Catskills 21:28

8d ago21:28

21:28

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 a…

1
Teen Lens 🎬 Woodstock Film Festival's Youth Film Lab 20:10

22d ago20:10

20:10

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…

1
More than Maps: New York - New Jersey Trail Conference 17:27

1M ago17:27

17:27

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, highlight…

1
White Gold: The Rise and Fall of Catskill Cauliflower 26:04

2M ago26:04

26:04

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 …

1
Catskill Couture: MLE's Sustainable Fashion 20:06

3M ago20:06

20:06

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…

1
Coffee ☕️ Food 🥪 and Fuel ⛽️ at Charlotteville General Store 19:03

3M ago19:03

19:03

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 …

1
Unearthing the History of Catskills Trees with Dr. Michael Kudish 54:53

4M ago54:53

54:53

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 s…

1
Catskill Mountain Shakespeare 24:07

4M ago24:07

24:07

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,…

1
Bruderhof: a Christian Community in the Platte Clove 42:56

4M ago42:56

42:56

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 …

1
A Life on the Mountain Top with Dede Terns-Thorpe and Ed Thorpe 33:09

5M ago33:09

33:09

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 …

1
Ralph Waldo Emerson 🎙️ LIVE at Emerson Resort & Spa 1:33:20

5M ago1:33:20

1:33:20

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! --- If you missed the live event, you can still play our tr…

1
Country Life: Septic Maintenance and Repair 33:03

6M ago33:03

33:03

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 …

1
Nature Calls 🍃 Conversations from the Hudson Valley 20:21

6M ago20:21

20:21

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 E…

1
Preparing for a Hike 🎒 with Paul Misko 29:25

7M ago29:25

29:25

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 le…

1
The Strange Recital –– featuring Paul Smart's "Overlook" 45:35

7M ago45:35

45:35

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 …

1
"It's One O'Clock and Here Is Mary Margaret McBride" 43:47

8M ago43:47

43:47

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 …

1
Overlook History Hike with Will Nixon 19:18

8M ago19:18

19:18

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 rev…

1
Ukraine Revisited 🇺🇦 Michael DiBenedetto at Hell's Kitchen 26:28

9M ago26:28

26:28

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 voluntee…

1
Catskill Neighbors 26:37

9M ago26:37

26:37

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, …

1
Telephone Tales with Switchboard Operator Lula Anderson 23:29

10M ago23:29

23:29

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 reco…

1
Plattekill Mountain: the Last Indie Ski Resort in the Catskills 31:09

10M ago31:09

31:09

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 wer…

1
What's on Tap for 2024: Raising a Glass at 3 Catskills Breweries 38:54

11M ago38:54

38:54

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 start…

1
Polar Express 🚂 Catskill Mountain Railroad's Santa Shuttle 18:14

11M ago18:14

18:14

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 Decembe…

1
Cup o' Cartography: Cheyenne Mallo Pottery 19:17

11M ago19:17

19:17

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 uniqu…

1
Thanksgiving Sides 🍠🥦 with Two Catskills Chefs 19:54

12M ago19:54

19:54

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 a…

1
At the D&H Canal Museum with Historian Bill Merchant 23:15

1y ago23:15

23:15

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 …

1
Bill Abranowicz Turns His Lens on the Catskills 28:17

1y ago28:17

28:17

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 phot…

1
Indigenous Catskills 101 39:55

1y ago39:55

39:55

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,…

1
Kaatscast’s 100th Episode! A Look Back and a Peek Ahead 💯 32:42

1y ago32:42

32:42

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 …

1
Chain of Wooded Mountains: Balkan Music in the Catskills 12:33

1y ago12:33

12:33

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 f…

1
Special Report: Connecting with Ukraine 🇺🇦 50:37

1y ago50:37

50:37

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 …

1
Pruning Experts 🌿 Bring in the Goats! 17:59

1y ago17:59

17:59

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 h…

1
Leaving No Trace: Outdoor Ethics with Moe Lemire 40:13

1+ y ago40:13

40:13

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 minim…

1
Brunel Sculpture Garden: Resurrecting a Roadside Attraction 18:33

1+ y ago18:33

18:33

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 stewa…

1
Wave Farm 20:19

1+ y ago20:19

20:19

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 & Bram…

1
Uncharted: Kim Brown Seely's Epic Adventures Sailing ... and Narrating! 43:00

1+ y ago43:00

43:00

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 p…

1
Forest Therapy with Lara Land 29:15

1+ y ago29:15

29:15

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…

1
Landscaping in Zone 5 with Zone4 Landscaper Mel Bellar 28:32

1+ y ago28:32

28:32

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…

1
CRISP on the front lines: Invasive Species Emerging in the Catskills 28:21

1+ y ago28:21

28:21

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 inv…

1
Financial Literacy at Ulster Savings Bank 25:47

1+ y ago25:47

25:47

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 …

1
Remembering Hank Rope 18:29

1+ y ago18:29

18:29

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 s…

1
Radio Catskill 90.5 FM WJFF 21:21

1+ y ago21:21

21:21

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 o…

1
Black Bears 🐾 Sharing Space 20:09

1+ y ago20:09

20:09

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 o…

1
Adaptive Sports Foundation at Windham Mountain 20:24

1+ y ago20:24

20:24

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 Windha…

1
The CAG Report: a Blueprint for Growing Catskills Crowds 28:16

1+ y ago28:16

28:16

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…

1
Catskills Thrillers: Reading Along with Kelli Huggins 24:25

2y ago24:25

24:25

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…

1
Billy's Make & Mend: Vintage Sewing Machines 35:02

2y ago35:02

35:02

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 …

1
Shea in the Catskills: Tarot, Art, Community 38:10

2y ago38:10

38:10

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 i…

1
Sea Lion Training in ... Kingston! The Tale of Sharkey and "Seal College" 17:37

2y ago17:37

17:37

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 b…

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