HI, thought I would introduce myself. I'm Maureen, 44 (will be 45 on Thursday :-) . I have a 12 yr old son Michael whom I live for, and my dog Lucky - a 3 yr old black lab who is my very best buddy in the world. I also have a crazy cat named Tiger and a russian tortoise named Spikes. I love gardening, roses, daylilys, plumeria, clematis and african violets. I'm going through a rough time in my life right now, my husband just told me 2 wks ago that he is not happy and left. He is getting on with his life so I guess eventually there will be a divorce. It broke my heart but with friends and family prayers and support I'm doing better today than I was 2 wks ago. If any of you pray, if you would pray for me and my son I would be so very grateful. I work f/t for a Union and have been there for 10 years. It is strictly a financial thing---i'm not really a "career lady" - just need to pay the mortgage and have a home for me and my son Michael. I come from a large family, have 4 sisters and 1 brother. Mom and Dad are divorced for 10 years now and live locally. Dad is remarried, Mom's single. I'm close with my Mom, she is a gardener too. We go for walks together, shop together and work out at the gym too. I'll go see if I can find some pics to post so you can see me and my son and pets. Nice to read about everyone here, look forward to getting friendly with you all. Maureen p.s. I started with daylilys last year, and ended the season with about 80 named varieties. I've purchased another 15 from Maryott's this week and am sure when I get some money for my birthday next week I'll have more I want to order. I bought most of my daylilys from Flynn's daylily garden. Ida is a great lady and her daylilys are awesome. And I traded for some of my daylilys. This summer I will get to see most of them bloom -- can't wait.

I sold at the Farmers Market in Norman for about 10 years and really enjoyed it. Got to know a lot of fantastic people. I still miss it. The best growers at the market were always the hardest workers that took pride in themselves, their effort to make the market a success, and the product they offered. There were a few retired people that did the market just for something to occupy their time and loved being a part of the market. They didn't produce a lot of veggies or fruit, but were just as valuable to the market as the big truck farmers were. They weren't always as busy and were great greeters and socializers that I loved being around them. The one negative is how many times you have to handle your product and the gas you burn if you have to go back and forth very much over any kind of distance. Being able to gauge correctly how much to bring and selling out right at closing time is the optimal way to go. less waste and work at the market. randy

Check with the US Forestry Service. They do conduct plant and animal surveys mostly during the summer months. The problem with the Forestry Service is low pay due to lack of funds and support from the government, and their jobs are in jeopardy from political wrangling and cuts. Permanent employment is dependent on a degree.

I'll try to stop this from becoming a soapbox about the status of education requirements, education in general, and the overall job market in the U.S. You have the four year degree. It's one box checked, and in the world we live in, It's a big check. If you want the hort minor, get it now. It only gets harder to go back to school the longer you're out. You'll want to learn Spanish. You'll want a good course in plant pathology. You'll want to learn Spanish. You'll want a good course in entomology. You'll want to learn Spanish. Got that? Good. Because knowing Spanish is the most important thing you can do to further your career in horticulture in America. You'll want a good basic course in botany. You'll want a good course in soils.* In order to understand the course materials, You'll want one if not two courses in chemistry. Intro to organic chem is where you want to get, maybe one course beyond that...often two prerequisite courses to get to the organic chem intro. *Once you do this a little, You'll learn no one knows jack about soils. Lots claim to, even more give lip service to the importance, but actually know soils? I've met two such people in my life. I've met more who won the lottery. So, get the background, then Never. Stop. Learning. Never succomb to the idea that knowing something means more than just that...something. Have I mentioned Spanish yet? Pant ID courses. If you're doing interior scape, You'll have at least three. Woody plants (trees and shrubs) and herbaceous plants (annuals and perennials). I'd be surprised if they let you get the degree without at least one design concept course. Plant propagation. If there's an intro to horticulture 101, this is part two. Greenhouse/nursery/landscape management. A course in turf management is worth considering. If I had it all to do over again, I'd skip horticulture. No job I have ever had did I get because of my degree in horticulture. Not that I'm demeaning the value of the education...but unless you want to work for an educational concern, or manage a public garden, the education is a side note. What's your experience? Maximize your experience and augment your education. I'd get as much experience as you can in the fields of small engine repair, welding and fabrication, become adept with general hand tools and construction equipment. Have I mentioned Spanish before?