Kaatscast: the Catskills Podcast

People Episodes

Feb. 11, 2025

Tapping Into Black History: Peg Leg Bates *LIVE* Special πŸŽ™οΈ

Exploring the Legacy of Clayton 'Peg Leg' Bates: The One-Legged Dancing Legend In this live episode of Kaatscast, recorded at the Emerson Resort & Spa on November 8, 2024, host Brett Barry engages in a detailed discussion wit...

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Jan. 28, 2025

From the Bench: The Life and Music of Justin Kolb

Justin Kolb is an accomplished pianist who began playing at the age of four. Now 82, Justin continues to practice almost daily and performs intimate house concerts called "From the Bench," showcasing music "by living American...

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Jan. 14, 2025

From Politics to Preserves: Silda Wall Spitzer's Sweet Transition

Grilled Cheese with a Twist: Lunch and Jam with New York First Lady Silda Wall Spitzer Join us for a delightful culinary and conversational journey with Silda Wall Spitzer in her Hudson Valley home. In this episode, we explor...

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Dec. 17, 2024

Porcupine Pursuits with Uldis Roze

Unveiling the Mysteries of the North American Porcupine In this episode of 'Kaatscast,' host Brett Barry delves into the fascinating world of the North American porcupine with Uldis Roze, the world's foremost expert on this m...

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Dec. 3, 2024

Borscht Belt Brilliance: The Extraordinary Art of Morris Katz

This episode of "Katz"cast delves into the fascinating life and career of Morris Katz, a Polish-born Holocaust survivor and acclaimed painter known for his lightning-fast painting technique using a palette knife and toilet pa...

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July 30, 2024

Unearthing the History of Catskills Trees with Dr. Michael Kudish

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 on...

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June 18, 2024

A Life on the Mountain Top with Dede Terns-Thorpe and Ed Thorpe

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 Clov...

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April 23, 2024

Preparing for a Hike πŸŽ’ with Paul Misko

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 …

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Feb. 27, 2024

Ukraine Revisited πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦ Michael DiBenedetto at Hell's Kitchen

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 cau...

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Feb. 13, 2024

Catskill Neighbors

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 Jan...

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Jan. 30, 2024

Telephone Tales with Switchboard Operator Lula Anderson

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 …

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Oct. 24, 2023

Bill Abranowicz Turns His Lens on the Catskills

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 CondΓ© Nast Traveler , The New York Times Ma...

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Aug. 29, 2023

Special Report: Connecting with Ukraine πŸ‡ΊπŸ‡¦

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...

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April 11, 2023

Remembering Hank Rope

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 th...

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