Shannon Brines grew up in SE Michigan on a small diversified farm that included woody perennial crops.  He officially established Brines Farm in 2004 and began selling year-round at farmers markets and offered one of Michigan’s first fresh produce winter CSA share programs. Shannon was selected as a member of the US delegation to participate in Terra Madre 2008 in Turin, Italy, a world slow food meeting focused on increasing small-scale, traditional and sustainable food production. Shannon is an applied geographer at the University of Michigan interested in land use, agriculture, food systems, public health and sustainable design. Shannon currently serves as the chair of Slow Food Huron Valley Board, vice-chair of the Washtenaw county Food Policy Council, a member of the University of Michigan Sustainable Food Program Advisory Board and is newly elected to the Board of Directors of the Washtenaw County Conservation District.  Shannon and his wife, Erin Mittendorf, live on (and steward!) over 80 acres of farmland in northern Washtenaw County where they have been undertaking restoration agriculture techniques since 2012.  With ever expanding interests in biodiversity, agroecology, and perennials, Brines Farm has planted tens of thousands of trees and perennial plants.  Brines Farm LLC is a State of Michigan licensed and inspected tree and shrub nursery grower and is USDA Certified Organic.