We are saddened to hear about the passing of Gary Redmond, one of the great heroes and evangelists of local, sustainable food culture and entrepreneurship in Ithaca and the Finger Lakes. His influence and spiritual leadership for the local foods community here and throughout the Northeast are immeasurable.As a founder of Regional Access, Gary helped connect a new generation of customers, including many of our best markets and chefs, with small growers and producers that create some of the best foods in the state, spreading their bounty across NY. He also opened up his resources to support small independent producers who needed extra space or production resources, and developed partnerships that helped expand the reach of companies like Finger Lakes Organics and the Great Local Foods network.
I had the privilege of spending some time with Gary back in 2009 to learn about his work and interview him for this podcast. It remains one of my favorite interviews we ever recorded and a conversation I shall never forget. It was clear that Gary was guided by a personal passion, philosophy, and spirituality that drove him to work for the greater good. His passion and spirit was infectious, he sought to do good, live fully, and share good food with friends.
Our thoughts, condolences, and hugs go out to his family and everyone at Regional Access. We may have lost the man, but it's safe to say his legacy and his mission will continue to grow for generations to come.
-- Dave
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