New Local Produce – Sungate Farm!
Sungate Farm is in its second year of business, growing for local wholesalers, schools, food banks, and restaurants. They focus on organic specialty produce on half an acre or about 70, 3ft by 50ft beds. They recently received their USDA Organic Certificate through OEFFA. This spring, they also received a Harmonized Good Agricultural Practices (HGAP) certification through Sustainably Fresh, which is one of the industry standards for food safety.
Sungate Farm grew out of George Armstrong's interest in the productivity, quality, and diversity of vegetables from small farms developed during his Food Studies MA and (in-progress) Anthropology PhD at Indiana University. They like to think that farming is about much more than just growing-it’s also about the environment, community, and visions of alternative food systems that are local, socially just, sustainable, etc.
In the IU Food Studies community, Sungate Farm started to learn more about policy changes in the local and regional food system, including federal grant programs for helping bring local food to Indiana schools and regional food banks. In 2024, they were very excited to supply specialty produce to Indiana schools in the IN Local Foods for Schools (LFS) program and to food banks in the Ohio CAN program. Though these federal programs were defunded in early 2025, it is still an important time to be part of strengthening local food and changes in the food system, as new connections continue to develop between small farms, schools, and food banks as the local food system is growing beyond farmers markets and CSAs.
This year, Sungate Farm is building key infrastructure such as a second high tunnel, an irrigation and drainage system, and an additional 40 beds, which are 3 feet by 50 feet (approximately 90cm x 15m), managed using the popular minimal-tillage deep compost mulch system. Their farm relies heavily on the low tunnels and high tunnels from EQUIP grants through the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service since these covered growing spaces allow them to protect from insects, intense sun, frost, and freezing rains throughout the year. Their produce is available at both of our stores.