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September 2020 Newsletter
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Casa Nueva Joins Totes Local Delivery Family
 Everyone who loves Athens, loves ACEnet Food Ventures tenant Casa Nueva. They are a staple in our community, committed to their worker-owners, customers, and local suppliers. If you're like us you're really missing sitting down in their Bodega or Restaurant to some Mexican-inspired local food and a perfect house margarita.
As long as the pandemic keeps many bars and restaurants closed, including Casa, you can coun t on Totes Local to bring items such as take-n-bake burritos, a variety of salsa, fresh tortillas, and even Casa branded masks right to your door.
"I can't say enough about how happy we, at Casa Nueva are, to partner with Totes Local. Becky has created a wonderfully innovative site where the community can truly show support for one another during these trying times. I am personally excited to reach a new customer base, as well as allow current customers to order, who may not be able to get into Casa themselves for whatever reason. We will be offering a variety of food and merchandise like Take-N-Bake Casa Burritos or pints of salsa, that we will rotate every couple of weeks, so it's a good idea to check the site weekly for new or Seasonal items. Much thanks to Becky and her team for inviting the Casa family to be a part of this," said Casa's Tracy Turner.
Order online by Monday nights for delivery or pick-up on Thursdays.
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A New Way to Show You Love Athens, Ohio
 Thank you for loving Athens, Ohio! The local businesses that make Athens feel like home need your support now more than ever. A new website, https://loveathensohio.com/ has been designed, created and is managed by volunteers from ACEnet and ACEnet tenant Red Tail Design Co. to help support our local community's businesses.
Not sure if a local business is open, take-out, online shopping, closed, or by appointment only? Love Athens has the info you want. This site will always be evolving and updating. Remember this is built and supported by VOLUNTEERS so please send us any updated business info, etc... we hope this becomes a resource for everyone in town and out of town to support our businesses!
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Appalachia Ohio's Creative Economy - Takes a Licking, but Keeps on Ticking
 ACEnet is always learning from our region's entrepreneurs. Recently Leslie Schaller, ACEnet's Director of Programs, had an interesting conversation with Susan Abramovitz of Rock Riffle Run Pottery near Shade, Ohio. Susie has lived and worked in Athens County since 1978, when she opened her studio. Originally from the Youngstown area, she graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art with a degree in ceramics. Following graduation, Abramovitz lived on Deer Isle, Maine making pottery for a year and then headed up the Ceramics Department at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland for two years.
As one of the premier artisans of our region, Susie Abramovitz has been hand-throwing beautiful stoneware and terracotta ceramics, creating pieces both unique and functional. A recent video by the Metaphysical Café provides a wonderful overview of Susie's career and work: https://youtu.be/NrkGpQm380Q.
Susie shares: "Creating hand-thrown pottery is never the same, working with materialssuch as clay, as it meets fires, renews in me a sense of appreciation for what is still positive in the world. One of the mugs I am contemplating making soon will just say thank you, because we all need to be thanked and acknowledged today more than ever."
For years now, Rock Riffle Run Pottery has been one of the stops on the November Art+Farm+Wine Tour. But things have
 changed. COVID impacts have hit the "creatives" in our community hard. Festivalscancelled--events and shows postponed until next year. But creatives keep busy, producing and innovating. And as their customers we need to pivot in our buying habits to support them. As fall approaches and we start to think about the upcoming holidays, we are encouraging both individuals and businesses to come up with new ways to invest in the local creative economy.
So here's an idea. Since 1981, Rock Riffle Run Pottery has offered an opportunity for event planners, educational institutions, municipalities, agencies, and companies large or small to develop a stoneware mug with their logo. Dishwasher and microwave safe, these long lasting mugs are the perfect, commemorative gift.
Now is the time to reach out to Susie, planning ahead for production and kiln runs are essential over the next month. It takes about 2 months from the customers prepared artwork to the final logo mug ready to be shipped. For mid-December delivery the order should be in place before September is over.
 For details on cost and design services for stoneware promotional mugs please call 740-517-8523.
Susie also has a showroom in her studio and can continue to welcome visitors, but they need to call first and make an appointment prior to coming out. |
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Athens Photographic Project
The Athens Photographic Project members recently spent three days on ACEnet's Athens Incubator campus led by Erin LaBelle, their Photo Co-Op Photography Coordinator.
 The Athens Photographic Project (APP) is a vibrant community of artists dedicated to using the medium of photography as a tool for self-expression, personal growth, and social change within the journey of mental health recovery. Last year visitors of the indoor Athens Farmers Market may have seen their exhibit on display in the mall.
After nearly two decades, the Athens Photo Project continues to raise the profile of art within  the realm of behavioral healthcare through their trainings, research and exhibitions. As a collaborative partner, ACEnet is appreciates the roll the Athens Photographic Project plays in our region's creative sector, helping individuals living with mental health challenges as they contribute their skills to record the essence of Athens. The restorative powers of self-expression and inclusion, clearly strengthen are creative economy.
 of Nelsonville, APP photographers are working with ACEnet to record our local food economy entrepreneurs and facilities at the Food Ventures Center in Athens and the Food and Farm Enterprise Center in Nelsonville. We are excited to participate over the coming months. Please follow them on Facebook to see the wonderful images they produce. And to learn more check-out their website at https://athensphotoproject.org/ |
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Resuming Tours at ACEnet
There are many challenges running the Food Ventures Center and the Food and Farm Enterprise Center during the age of COVID. One of those challenges is still accommodating our food sector partners for site visits. In a typical year, the staff hosts probably about 30 to 40 visits of collaborative partners and community stakeholders running or hoping to run similar food enterprise centers. This summer we have welcomed folks back for small group tours.
 Long-time partners, Local Roots in Wooster are in the early planning stages of expanding processing capacity for food and farm entrepreneurs in the Wooster area. Elizabeth Schuster, Adam Schwieterman and Tiffany Leeper representing Local Roots staff, collaborators and board members spent a day with ACEnet staff: Adam Kody, Chris Quolke and Leslie Schaller. They toured the Food Ventures Center and the Nelsonville Food and Farm Enterprise Center. Local Roots was established in 2009 as a co-op that now features seasonal, sustainable foods and art from more than 150 Ohio producers. We have worked with them from their start-up and growth phases, and are excited to reconnect with some of the new management and board leaders.
In August, another partner in the Wheeling, West Virginia area: Grow Ohio Valley. Although ACEnet staff have worked with them for a number of years, this was the first opportunity for Danny Swan and Eleanor Marshall to come visit us in Athens County. They spent two days in our facilities, meeting staff and visiting some of the remarkable food entrepreneurs of our region. They were delighted to spend time at the Athens Farmers Market and Kindred Market. Grow Ohio Valley is committed to regional food security, and their mission is to build thriving community through local food. We are currently collaborating with the Grow team on two USDA agricultural marketing grants to assist with processing plans, program evaluation and the promotion of their new Public Market last fall. We are hoping that more Appalachia Ohio products from ACEnet tenants and producers can be purchased for their retail operation. 
We have also experimented with new online site visits through zoom and other simple video platforms. If you are interested in moving forward on a project and need our help, please feel free to send Leslie or Adam an email: leslies@acenetworks.org or adamk@acenetworks.org. Over the next few months, our staff will also be posting more video resources on our website about our processing rooms and equipment. Please follow us on Facebook to keep current on our resources.
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Input Sought From Food Truck Owners
Hey there, food truck operators! Are you in the Athens County area? Do you travel to the Athens County area? If so, the Athens County Planning Office and the Village of Chauncey would like you to participate in a short survey (link below) designed to help guide improvements to Chauncey Village Community Park, including accommodations for food trucks.
The park is a gateway to Baileys Trail System, which will be an 88-mile system once completed. Fourteen miles of trail already are open at the site. Please take the survey below, and if you don't own a food truck but know someone who does, please share this with them!
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Solar Program for Small Businesses
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So You Want to Start a Business?
The first step is creating a business plan. You can download our free business plan template from our website's home page!
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Relief Resources for Artists, Farmers, Food Service & Retail, Individuals, Nonprofits & Small Businesses
ACenet is maintaining & regularly updating our Relief Resources web page. It includes funding relief resources for artists, farmers, food service & retail businesses, individuals, nonprofits & small businesses in general. If you have any questions or would like assistance applying for any funding packages, please contact LeslieS@acenetworks.org.
 ACEnet facilities, including the Food Ventures Center in Athens & the Food & Farm Enterprise Center in Nelsonville are and will remain open until further notice. ACEnet staff is available (remotely) for our various business counseling services.
Please email your needs to LeslieS@acenetworks.org and you will be connected with a staff member who can assist you.
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Need A Licensed Facility for Processing Meat or Veggies?
Well you're in luck! ACEnet's Food & Farm Enterprise Center in Nelsonville is open for business! Process your meats and/or your veggies for retail, wholesale, etc. in adjacent rooms and take advantage of ACEnet's packaging and labeling space! Contact ACEnet's Food Ventures Coordinator, Adam Kody, for more info! AdamK@acenetworks.org or 740-249-1125
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ACEnet's Meat Processing Room
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Did You Know?
Did you know that Kroger has a community rewards program much like Amazon Smile? If you sign up for Kroger Community Rewards & designate ACEnet as your nonprofit of choice they'll donate a percentage of the money you spend on groceries to us!
You may need to renew your choice if it's been a while. Go to Kroger Community Rewards and search for ACE NET (needs to have the space), after you choose us, Kroger donates to us every time you shop!
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94 Columbus Rd, Athens, OH 45701
740-592-3854
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Sincerely
