How One Woman’s Vision Grew Into Elk City’s Farmers Market
Everybody has a dream. Sometimes we don’t even know why we have it — only that it won’t leave us alone. For Iesha Jones, that dream was simple: to build something that helped others the way someone once helped her.
“I was given a really good opportunity early on,” Jones said. “It helped my business grow, and I just wanted to give that same kind of opportunity to other people.”
That simple idea became the Elk City Farmers Market, which opened in July in Sara Vore’s parking lot — space Vore offered free of charge. Jones worried that vendors might not show up, or that the community might not notice. But they did — in droves.
“It was very overwhelming — in a good way,” she said with a laugh. “I thought it was just going to be a small ordeal.”
Within weeks, the borrowed lot was packed to the brim. On its busiest night, forty-eight vendors filled every available space as cars snaked down the street and families squeezed shoulder-to-shoulder for bread, tomatoes, or homemade ice cream.
“We quickly realized we didn’t have enough parking, and no handicap spots,” Jones said. “It limited how many people could come.”
It was a good problem to have — proof the community wanted more. The natural next step was a move to one of Elk City’s crown jewels: Ackley Park. With its wide green spaces and easy parking, the park offered exactly what the growing market needed — room to breathe and flourish.
“It just made sense,” Jones said. “Ackley Park already brings people together, and now the market could be part of that.”
The move was made possible with help from Tom Ivester, Park Superintendent Jimmy Martinez, and the Elk City Parks Department, who supported the transition every step of the way.
“They’ve been amazing,” Jones said. “They put out trash cans, cones — everything we needed.”
Aside from a few friendly complaints about Wednesday evenings conflicting with church, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Next year, the market will move to Tuesdays to make it easier for more families to attend.
The market will return in April 2026, weather permitting.
“People think it was a one-time thing,” she said. “But we’re absolutely coming back.”
NEW ROOTS: A GREENHOUSE FOR GROWTH Even as the market winds down, Jones is sowing another seed of community — this time in a large, long-unused greenhouse east of the Elk City Airport. The space will serve as a community garden, where residents can apply for free plots to grow their own produce.
“It’s a huge space with all the tools still there — tillers, rakes, everything,” she said. “People can apply for a plot, maintain it, and grow whatever they like. We even have donated seeds ready to go.”
Cleanup and preparation are underway now, and volunteers are welcome to help. Anyone who wants to be part of this next chapter can reach out directly through Iesha Jones’s Facebook page.
“This is about giving people the same opportunity I was given — a chance to grow,” she said. “And we’d love for anyone who wants to help to be a part of it.”
Any unclaimed plots will be used to grow fresh produce for community outreach programs like Help Inc., ensuring that the garden feeds not only the soil, but the people who need it most.
A HOLIDAY MARKET TO REMEMBER
Before the year ends, Jones and her vendors are heading indoors for a brandnew tradition: the Thanksgiving Farmers Market Pop-Up, happening November 25 from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Elk City Civic Center.
“It’s all the things you don’t want to make or forgot to make,” Jones said with a grin. “Come pick up your macaroni, desserts, or whatever you need and save yourself some time.”
This indoor holiday event promises more than just last-minute sides. It’s a showcase of the season — local bakers, cooks, and creators filling the Civic Center with warmth and aroma. Think pies still warm from the oven, glossy casseroles ready for the family table, and that one dish everyone forgot to make until the night before Thanksgiving.
“Now people have a place to go for those things,” Jones said. “Instead of rushing to the grocery store, they can support local folks — and take home something made with love.”
Booth spaces are $45 for a 10×10 setup, with applications due by October 31. About 15 vendors are already committed, and Jones hopes to reach 25 before the cutoff. Interested vendors can message her directly through Facebook to reserve a spot.
From a dream to a borrowed parking lot, from Ackley Park to a community greenhouse, and now to the warmth of the Civic Center, Iesha Jones’s journey has become more than a success story — it’s a reflection of what happens when gratitude takes root.
Her dream may have started small, but it’s blossomed into something the community didn’t even know it needed. Maybe that’s the truest kind of dream — one that grows big enough for everyone.
