Vermont State Parks

Lady's Slipper Thank you to all who participated in our Cabin Naming Contest. We had over 400 entries and so many of them were wonderful, which made deciding on two winners very difficult. The stories, poems, pictures, and reasons people submitted for their entries were touching, entertaining, and very interesting. We hope to share some of them with you over the next couple of months. The most popular flower submitted was Red Clover or Clover, but unfortunately, even though it is our state flower, it's actually native to Europe. Even though there were so many wonderful entries, there can only be two winners. These lucky folks will receive a weekend in their named cabin and there will be a poster placed in each cabin for the season, explaining how the cabins got their name. Congratulations, you have made park history! The winners are... Lady's Slipper From Jennie Kolenda of Proctorsville, Vermont As youngsters, we were always roaming through the wood...

Nothing hits the spot more than a warm bowl of chili on these chilly days. One of the most popular events here at the Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation is the annual Chili Cook-Off. Five submissions to the Cook-Off made for tough competition; however, one recipe stood out as being worthy of winning 1st prize. Paul Frederick, Wood Utilization Forester, won by popular vote and willingly is sharing his coveted dish. **Winning Recipe** Moose Sausage Chili 1.5 lbs Moose Breakfast Sausage (venison sausage or a combination of lean ground beef and McKenzie Bag Sausage works too) 2 cans kidney beans 2 cans tomatoes (16 oz cans), drained 2 cups spaghetti sauce (use your favorite) 2 medium onions, chopped 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2 green peppers, chopped 1 Tsp salt 1 Tsp black pepper 1 Tsp cumin seed 2 Tbsp chili powder Franks Hot Sauce (to taste) Note: Any left-over vegetables you find in the fridge such as green beans, peas or broccoli all are good to use too. Directions: ...