INTRODUCTION

When many people hear the word “career,” they think of office work. They think of working indoors, away from the fresh air and sunshine. They think of handling paper and phone calls instead of interacting with their natural environment.

If you like working outdoors, or feel a special joy from watching plants and flowers grow, this book is for you. There are a variety of jobs that allow you to work with plants, and most do not require a college degree.

If you like growing vegetables, fruits, or herbs, you could become an organic farmer. If you want to combine your love of growing things with your love of art, you could become a florist, designing flower arrangements for special occasions. Or you could work as a botanical illustrator, drawing or painting pictures of plants and flowers for books and magazines.

If you like working outdoors to keep the natural environment in tip-top condition, consider a career as a landscaper or as a groundskeeper for a park, golf course, or even a private estate. If you're adventurous, you might work as an agricultural aircraft pilot, better known as a crop duster, flying your plane over farmers' fields, seeding crops, and spraying pesticides and fertilizers.

In this book, you'll find lots of information about the many cool careers for people who like the outdoors, nature, and growing things. Each chapter highlights a different career, provides information on what those workers actually do and how much money they earn, and discusses the pros and cons of each job. You will also find a list of books, magazines, and other resources to help you begin a rewarding career growing things and working with things that grow.