Outdoors Episodes

Ah, there is nothing quite like being out on the water—especially on our beloved Hudson River! 🌊 In this episode of Cidiot®, we are diving headfirst into the boating lifestyle. I’m joined by Josh Rosella of Freedom Boat Club to talk about how they are making waves right here in the region. As the world’s largest boat club, they are opening up the water to everyone with three fantastic Hudson Valley locations spanning both sides of the river—Ossining, Haverstraw, and Piermont—plus a spot at Li...

New York City has the energy, but Columbia County has the air. Two years moving here from just 20 minutes south in the Hudson Valley, host Mat Zucker still feels like a bit of a "cidiot" sometimes—always eager to explore more of the incredible 635 square miles of valley, hills, farms, and villages right in his backyard. In this special episode, produced in collaboration with Columbia County Tourism, Mat serves up a very personal seasonal guide. Whether you're a foodie chasing the ultima...

Just in time for Frederic Church’s 200th birthday, we’re taking you along for a "boots on" tour of the moving landscape he spent decades designing here in the Hudson Valley. I’m walking the carriage roads of the Olana Historic Site with Annik LaFarge, author of the new book Composing Olana: A Journey on Foot Through Frederic Church's Greatest Work of Art. It’s the first book about this thoughtful and artful landscape. You’ll hear the wind in the trees and the crunch of the gravel as we dis...

After a brutal winter, spring in the Hudson Valley isn't just a temperature change—it’s a shift in soul. In this episode, Cidiot® explores the "palpable optimism" of the season, from the practical (and messy) realities of country living to the psychological power of starting fresh. Mat shares his 7-step guide to mastering spring upstate—covering everything from the melody of melting creeks and the return of outdoor farmers' markets to the essential "joiner" culture of CSAs. We also hear a mov...

What can we learn from the nature—and animals—around us? Meet Jessica Morgenthal, host of the new, already award-winning “Resilience Gone Wild” podcast. Mat’s been a guest, and now Jessica is one on Cidiot®. Join us for talk of talk about donkeys, goats, chickens, sea turtles, beehives, and more. Nature can be loving, nature can be harsh. The answers we’re looking for are sometimes right in front of us. And at the end, bonus: you’ll hear the real difference between turtles and tortoises. ...

Mat gives an update on the gardening project, including flowers vs. vegetables competition. Though his voice notes, you probably get too close to the amateur he is and the struggles he faces — not to mention the neglect he embodies. Links to what’s mentioned in the episode: Sam’s video on how to properly weed (YouTube) Stark Blooms (Instagram) Photos of before and after weeding (Instagram) Thank you for listening to Cidiot, the award-winning podcast about learning to live a...

Mat finally takes up gardening but in the safety and security of an adopted small garden plot at Four Corners Community Farm. It's a learning experience for sure, so join him via his audio journal as he tries to grow vegetables vs. flowers. Links: Four Corners Community Farm Old Dutch Village Gardening Club Garden Pals National Garden Association Thanks for listening to Cidiot®, the Hudson Valley's most awarded podcast. Would love to hear from you about what you would love to hear ab...

Welcome to Season 6 of Cidiot®! I'm excited to talk about 700,000 acre-big Catskill Park, "America's First Wilderness," with Ryan Penny, owner of Camp Catskill in Tannersville, NY. In two parts, we'll cover what drew Ryan to the Catskills, about starting his store in Tannersville, spotting a cidiot, and about Catskill Park, including his four favorite spots "inside the blue line." We also get into Kaaterskill Falls and the controversy of its claim as the tallest waterfall in New York state. W...

It seemed like a giant beehive was in our willow. Or was it? What should a cidiot do anyway? This episode is about the little critters that fill our lives—and our properties—in the Hudson Valley. Bees, wasps, bats, snakes, spiders, chipmunks, frogs, beavers—and more. Tune in for an education and a giggle. Links: Beaverland, Leila Philip (new book!) Beekeeping in the Hudson Valley and Catskills Episode 78 Brett Barry shares his snake (and bear) stories Pestmasters Blog Spotted Laternfly (S...

In a special cross-over in honor of International Podcast Day, Cidiot talks to this year’s winner of the Chronogrammie for regional podcast (we got runner-up!) Brett of Kaatscast podcast. It’s no wonder he won. A pro in audio with a very handsome voice and a public radio style podcast, Brett has recording more than 65 episodes of Kaatscast as well as audiobooks and driving tours of the Catskills. Recorded outside at Ole Savannah’s in Kingston on the water, we talk about how working in audio l...

Newburgh is one of the oldest towns in New York State and frequently talked about as a city coming around. Cidiot spoke to Diane Parisella, who with her business partner Lisa Morgan, own Designed Grind Cafe at the Newburgh Mall and started The Newburgh Market, held on Sundays from April through the end of October in the mall parking lot from 10am-3pm. Hear about the market, their business, what's coming to the mall, her favorite places in the Hudson Valley, and more on Newburgh itself. Sto...

It's strawberry season! Yes, I can't eat them sadly, but you probably can happily. In this special episode breaking from our usual schedule, hear directly from Robinson Greig at Greig Farm on best practices of what to look for and how to pick them. Thanks for listening to Cidiot, the award winning podcast about moving to the Hudson Valley, Catskills, and Berkshires. Subscribe to the newsletter on the home page of this site and follow us on Instagram. Photo courtesy of Greig Farm. --- Se...

What’s the rush with hiking? What's the difference between a walk and a hike? This episode Mat talks to Sean O’Dwyer, who runs Mountain-Hiking.com, a popular blog for the Catskills, Hudson Highlands, Adirondacks and beyond. You’ll hear what Sean loves about mountain hiking, where to go, advice for bears, a warning about radios, how to be a good citizen on a mountain, and why Reece’s Pieces should sponsor him. Thanks for listening to Cidiot, the award-winning podcast about moving from the city...

From bucolic to bubonic, join Mat as he talks about what it’s like in the Hudson Valley during this unusual, stressful and dangerous time of Coranoravirus. Special shout outs to Giabotta Alimentari in Tivoli, Equis Art Gallery in Red Hook, The Other Hudson Valley, and the new Recoup podcast from Adam Baer. Thanks for listening. Cidiot® has been featured on Hudson Valley Magazine's "8 Hudson Valley Podcasts for All-Day Listening" and by Chronogram as one of "6 Hudson Valley Podcasts You Should...

Is it exercise or medicine? This week, Mat Zucker explores hiking in the Hudson Valley. Some seasoned hiking experts weigh in and a list of hikes you might want to try yourself. Chronogram and Hudson Valley Magazine have both lauded Cidiot as a podcast to listen to. We'll end with a capitalist-friendly quote. Some of the hikes, business and sites mentioned: Poet's Walk, Red Hook, NY Drayton Grant Park at Burger Hill, Rhinebeck, NY Buttercup Sancturary, Stanfordville, NY, Innisfree, Millbrook ...