From The Forest

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the ash tree.

We had Nate on the show last year to share his story of his first ever time bear hunting in the Catskills. He was successful and is now hooked! We will hear about his second year of hunting and what he's learned. 

This fall was abnormally dry here in the Catskills, resulting in an uptick in wildland fire activity. We will be discussing fire in the Catskills with NYS DEC Region 3 Forest Ranger, Erich Horn. Ranger Horn spent some time on the Peekamoose Fire last month and will give us some first hand accounts as well as discuss his role as a Forest Ranger to prevent and suppress forest fires in the region.

Jesse Meyer has worked in his family’s business since he was young; going to the tannery with his father Karl on days off from school continued through high school and even during his college breaks. After graduating with a BFA from S.U.N.Y. New Paltz, he planned on getting as far away from the tannery as he could, or at least moving to NYC to try his hand at being an artist. While working on long term plans, he continued working at the tannery, and in his off hours working on his artwork and his research in animal skins and possible applications in his artwork. 

Using his artistry background, Jesse revived and refined the age-old process of hand-making parchment (parchment defined as a raw animal skin that has had the hair and flesh removed, then stretched and dried under tension).

Jesse rebranded the Richard E. Meyer & Sons Tannery into Pergamena Artisanal Parchments and Leathers, taking the name Pergamena from the Latin word for parchment.

(2nd half of show)

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the maple tree, both red and sugar.

(This show unfortunately is broken up over 2 parts. Just "fast-forward" towards the middle or so of Part 1 to hear the beginning)

Every Third Wednesday we have Wood Artist, Gary Mead on the show to discuss a native tree, or something else forest-related. This month we'll be discussing the maple tree, both red and sugar.

On this week's show we'll be discussing how "kids in the woods" has changed from the past. I know playing in the woods as a kid definitely had a great influence on my life as someone who plays and works in the woods today. 

On this week's show we'll be talking about the history, status, and recovery of mountain lions with Chris Spatz. Chris is the former President of the Cougar Rewilding Foundation that seeks to bring cougars back to the northeast. 

The raven (Corvus corax) reminds me of my campsite in the mountains. I hear them often throughout the day uttering a variety of "vocalizations" from the nearby cliffsides where they reside.