Beauty In Bloom
By Lydia Gleiser
Jessica Krohn never imagined that her life would take a dramatic turn from styling hair and applying makeup to studying dirt samples and growing blooms from seeds. But at 44 years old, starting over wasn’t just a life-changing moment; it became the best decision she ever made.
“As a child, I had always loved gardening, planting flowers and the unique beauty of wildflowers in particular,” Jessica shares.
But her adult life started with a clear path of going to cosmetology school after graduating from Sioux Center High School in Sioux Center, IA.
Spirit Lake is where Jessica spent the next five years, attending Faust Institute of Cosmetology, graduating and then working as a hair stylist.
“Besides flowers and gardening, I also had a love for makeup and styling hair and all things pretty,” Jessica adds.
Internally, Jessica has always been driven to develop professionally. This drive moved her to Sioux City, where she began working for Belle Touche, formerly Body and Soul.
“I enjoy working with others and being able to form relationships with coworkers and clients. This move allowed me to transition from not only being a hairdresser but also doing makeup for photo shoots and local news anchors,” Jessica shares, as she was selected to attend various training courses in Chicago and New York City for airbrush application. At the time, this was a brand-new technology in the makeup industry.
Aspiring to be an entrepreneur, Jessica branched off and started Modern Beauty, where she continued to style hair and excel in applying event and campaign make-up as well as being a makeup artist for select films and photo shoots.
And then COVID hit and within a matter of months the world shut down and Jessica found herself unemployed for the next nine months. This solitude became a blessing in disguise as it allowed Jessica to reflect on finding something else to do to keep her passion for creativity and the arts alive.
"At the time, I was living in Kingsley, IA,” Jessica recalls. “I told my husband, Jeffery, that I wanted to start a flower garden with various types of rare, special flowers that weren’t your standard rose or typical daisy.
During those lonely and unpredictable days, Jessica started to find contentment tending to her flowers and creating special floral arrangements for neighbors and friends, dropping off her one-of-a-kind flowers in hopes of bringing happiness to others.
“Cultivating these flowers made me feel fulfilled,” Jessica shares. “I was able to stay busy and also find a creative outlet that I had been missing during the pandemic while doing something positive for others.”
Transitioning from cosmetology to being a florist came naturally for Jessica as she already had an appreciation for the visual arts and how certain colors, textures and styles are able to stand out yet complement each other.
As she began experimenting with planting other flowers, Jessica remembers thinking how neat it would be to be able to create exotic bouquets for others and colorful flower arrangements for local weddings.
Shortly after the pandemic, the Krohns moved to an acreage in Sioux City. Flower farming was unheard of in the Siouxland area, but Jessica was determined to create her own. What guided her flower farm concept was completing a Floret Flower course.
Jessica spent the next six weeks fully immersed in the comprehensive, once-a-year course where she learned about the importance of hands-on science behind cultivating a flourishing flower farm, along with the required steps to develop a successful business plan.
As her knowledge expanded, so did the opportunity to create her own flower farm. What was once a large dirt patch outside of her house slowly became fertile soil after Jessica performed various soil tests to figure out what nutrients she needed to make the soil fertile, eventually amending the soil.
“Prior to me taking this course, the dirt patch couldn’t even grow weeds,” Jessica notes. “After completing the intense course, I had a better understanding of what I needed to do to see if the land was workable and to keep it sustainable.”
The first year, Jessica made a grow room where she started 15,000 seedlings that she planted by hand. Once the seedlings hardened off, she transplanted them outdoors in early May. Tending to the plants every day from fertilization to insecticide was vital in the development of her flower farm, which she named Petal and Thorn.
Over the last three years, Jessica has poured her heart and soul into Petal and Thorn. She has been one of the first female in the Siouxland area to introduce this concept, testing out different public events, such as U-Pick, where the public is invited to pick their own flowers, and various on-farm specialty workshops to
educate others.
While owning her own business has allowed Jessica to craft her ideas and bring them to life, she has also learned how to simplify and prioritize what she focuses on to prevent getting burned out from something that she has given her all to.
“Overall, I have dedicated Petal and Thorn to now selling wholesale, subscription and retail,” Jessica shares. “I have limited myself to providing arrangements once a month for weddings or special events like providing a flower bar to clients.”
One of the most gratifying parts of becoming a flower farmer has been the opportunity for Jessica to collaborate with other talented vendors, photographers and clients throughout the tristate area. From styled shoots and gorgeous weddings to pop-up markets and private events, each connection has brought her fresh inspiration and a deeper sense of community while reminding her why she chose this career.
“It is rewarding for me to share my knowledge and love of florals with the community. A bouquet of wildflowers is more than just a stunning arrangement,” Jessica says. “Supporting Siouxland by providing locally grown flowers, creating relationships and teaching sustainability are very meaningful to me, and I’m proud to share these special moments with others.”
Leaving behind everything that Jessica knew felt terrifying at times, but becoming an entrepreneur gave her more than just a new career; it gave her a new life filled with love, learning and appreciation.
Taking a risk is a reminder to Jessica that it’s never too late to begin again, and that sometimes, the most beautiful things come from the most uncertain soil.
More With Jessica
Jessica and her husband, Dr. Jeffery Krohn have a blended family of five including Lauren and Jasper (22), Elyn (21), Henrik (15) and Ava (13). They enjoy spending time together doing outdoor activities like boating and kayaking.
In high school, Jessica was active in gymnastics, cheerleading, volleyball and golf. She has always had a love of water and water sports.
Throughout her life, Jessica has been blessed with so many mentors, supporting her both professionally and personally. This includes inspiration and guidance from her friend and florist Sheila Fitzgerald, floral designer Ashley Fox and countless, talented local florists she has met and worked with throughout the years.
Among her favorites, tacos and coffee are at the top of Jessica’s list!
Jessica’s locally grown, beautiful flower bouquets are for sale at Council Oak Supply, another local collaboration that she is grateful for.