With opening day of the Caledon Farmers' Market less than a month away, we can reveal SOME of the vendors that will be selling their products throughout the 2011 market season.

• Agnes Catering (Perogies & Cabbage Rolls)
• Arthur Greenhouses (Produce & Plants)
• Bert Nieuwenhuis (Lamb Meat & Wool)
• Downey's Farm Market (Berries & Baked Goods)
• Duffy's Lane Maple (Maple Syrup)
• Honeywood Acres (Organic Produce)
• Leitch's Honey (Honey & Honey-based Products)
• North Hill Soap Company (Soap & Body Products)
• The Chocolate Gallery (Chocolate & Fudge)
• Wicked Shortbread (Shortbread Cookies)

There are many more vendors that will be selling their products at this year's Market and we will be announcing them in upcoming issues of The Market Message.

In the meantime, you are encouraged to visit the Farmers' Market webpage and Facebook Profile to stay up to date with Market happenings, including weekly themes and events.

We look forward to seeing everyone on June 16th.

We have started receiving Vendor Registrations for the third season of the Caledon Farmers' Market, which will start on Thursday, June 16, 2011 and run each Thursday (rain or shine) until October 6, 2011.

Our Vendor Handbook and Vendor Registration Package have also been updated and are available for download on the Market's webpage at: www.caledon.ca/farmersmarket.

Whether you are a past vendor of the Caledon Farmers' Market, or would like to become a new vendor in 2011, you are encouraged to submit your completed registration form as soon as possible.

The start of the 2011 Caledon Farmers' Market season is just a few short weeks away and as the Opening Date (June 16) approaches there will be plenty of interesting information about the Market posted on our Facebook Profile page.

You are encouraged to visit often to learn about upcoming special events, recipes, previews of vendors and much more.

We are very pleased to announce that Stacey Fokas ~ Caledon resident, "local food guru" and best-selling author of Freshalicious: eat fresh, eat local, eat healthy ~ will be a regular fixture at the Caledon Farmers' Market this season.

During her market appearances, Stacey will provide insightful tips on feeding your family with locally produced and seasonally available foods.

She will also perform culinary demonstrations using products available at the Market.

The first of these demonstrations will take place during the Market's Opening Day Celebration on June 16th.

Specific details will be announced in upcoming issues of this e-newsletter and on the Caledon Farmers' Market Facebook Page.

For more information on Stacey and her best-selling recipe book, visit: www.freshalicious.ca.

The Caledon Special Events Committee is pleased to present Caledon Day on June 18, 2011.

This year's event will offer a wide selection of activities for the whole family - including the NEW Market Zone - a Fresh Food Market and a Vendor's Market.

Caledon Day attracts thousands of visitors from across Caledon and throughout the surrounding area, providing excellent vendor opportunities for those who wish to sell their products at the Caledon Day event.

CLICK HERE for more information about Caledon Day and the various vendor opportunities.

You are also encouraged to visit the Caledon Day Facebook Profile page for the latest announcements and updates.

Ingredients:

• 2 bunches spinach, rinsed and torn into bite-size pieces
• 4 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

1. In a large bowl, toss together the spinach and strawberries.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, sugar, paprika, sesame seeds, and poppy seeds.
3. Pour over the spinach and strawberries, and toss to coat.

 NOTE: To add a little extra crunch to this salad, sprinkle with pine nuts or walnut pieces.

Strawberries

• It is widely accepted that the strawberry derives its name from the fact that straw was traditionally used as a mulch in cultivating the plants. 
• There are more than 20 described species of strawberry, and many hybrids and cultivars.
• The first strawberry species to be cultivated was the "Woodland Strawberry", in the early 17th century.
• The most common strawberries grown commercially are cultivars of the "Garden Strawberry".
• The "Garden Strawberry" was first bred in Brittany, France in the mid-18th century and is a hybrid ~ via a cross of Fragaria virginiana from eastern North America (which was noted for its flavor) and Fragaria chiloensis from Chile and Argentina (which was noted for its large size).
• Strawberries have a taste that varies by cultivar, and ranges from quite sweet to rather tart.
• Strawberries are an important commercial fruit crop, widely grown in all temperate regions of the world.
• Strawberries are an easy plant to grow, and can be grown almost anywhere in the world. They can also be grown as a potted plant, and will still produce fruit.
• One cup (144 g) of strawberries contains approximately 45 calories (188 kJ) and is an excellent source of vitamin C and flavonoids. Its nutritional profile has led many to consider it a "superfood".
• The strawberry is, in technical terms, an aggregate accessory fruit, meaning that the fleshy part is derived not from the plant's ovaries (achenes) but from the receptacle that holds the ovaries. Each "seed" on the outside of the fruit is actually one of the ovaries of the flower, with a seed inside it. However, in both culinary and botanical terms, the entire thing is called a "fruit".