Kokora Flowers receives warm welcome at Big Sky Farmers Market

PHOTO BY SARAH GIANELLI

BIG SKY – Meara Cassidy farms 1 acre of flowers on Three Hearts Farm in Bozeman almost single-handedly. Her partner, Travis Cox, helps Cassidy when he’s not working weeklong stretches as a wildland firefighter and managing wilderness trails for the U.S. Forest Service in Montana’s Scapegoat Wilderness.

Every week, Cassidy hauls her unique assortment and artistically arranged flowers to the Big Sky Farmers Market, held every Wednesday from June 22 to Sept. 28 from 5-8 p.m. in Town Center’s Fire Pit Park.

New to Bozeman from Fort Collins, Colorado, this is Cassidy’s first year having a stand at the Big Sky Farmers Market, but she already has a local following and also provided the sunflower arrangements for the VIP tent at this year’s Big Sky PBR.

“This is my first season and so far it’s been an awesome market for us,” Cassidy said. “There is already a lot of loyalty and really wonderful customers. It’s a lot of work and Big Sky folks seem to understand that. It’s encouraging to get that appreciation and support.”

Cassidy’s Japanese mother inspired her company name Kokora Flowers—“Kokora” most simply translates as “heart,” but also conveys nuances of “to have heart” or “with heart.” It’s a perfectly suitable name for Cassidy’s lovingly grown, artful assortment of flowers and bouquets.

Visit the Kokora Flowers stand at the Big Sky Farmers Market on Wednesdays from 5-8 p.m. through Sept. 28, or online at meara-cassidy.squarespace.com.