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?

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