Budding business Springfield flower truck plants roots in the Ozarks by Paul Newton | pnewton@ruralmissouri.coop S tella sure turns heads. Passersby honk as she navigates through the streets of Greene County. She welcomes visitors to her post at the end of the C-Street City Market in Springfield. She's the centerpiece of a creative business. She's not what you think. Stella is a 1970 Volkswagen Single Cab that serves as the focal point for Ozark Mtn Flower Truck. Cassie Hartman bought the truck and started the business in 2017 with the hopes of making flower buying less intimidating and more local. Today, Cassie, a trio of employees and Stella can be found through- out the Queen City offering fresh bouquets at markets and local businesses. "I've always loved flowers and have been interested in being creative," Cassie says. "When I was studying for a semester in Spain, I got to see how Europe did flowers. It was a lot more casual, like an everyday kind of thing. There would be cute little stands outside where you could just grab a flower or two. I wanted to bring that to the Ozarks." The thought had always been in her mind, but one day a few years ago - aided by more than a single cup of coffee - the idea hit her. If restaurants could sell meals out of the back of a food truck, why couldn't she do that with flowers? She crunched the numbers and began filling her schedule when she wasn't Above: Ozark Mtn Flower Truck employee Haiden Keener prepares a bouquet for a customer at the C-Street Market. The truck is a staple at the Greene County market on Thursdays and Saturdays. Below left: Haiden gets the full flower truck ready for sales. Below right: Owner Cassie Hartman and Haiden prepare their flowers and truck before heading out.