The Joy of Bird Feeding: The Essential Guide to Attracting and Feeding Our Backyard Birds (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781935622864)

Jim Carpenter was raised in southern Indiana. During his childhood he discovered his fondness for the natural world, especially while visiting his grandparents' home in the country, where his grandmother introduced him to hummingbirds, shrikes, mockingbirds and other interesting birds and wild things. After earning a B.A. in Biology from Indiana University (1975) and a Masters Degree in Horticulture/Plant Physiology from Purdue University (1979), Jim managed two Indianapolis-area garden centers and a produce stand, which was where he first learned the basics of the retail trade. In 1981, Jim opened a 700 square foot retail shop on the north side of Indianapolis and named it Wild Birds Unlimited. This unique shop, one of the few open in North America at the time, specialized in all of the supplies that help people attract and enjoy birds in their backyard. Jim married Nancy in 1983 and together they built the company until Nancy stepped back in 1995 to focus on raising their two daughters. Jim also took on a business partner, Dick Schinkel, in 1983 to start Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. in order to sell and support Wild Birds Unlimited franchise stores. Jim became 100 percent owner of Wild Birds Unlimited, Inc. in 1989 when he purchased Dick Schinkel's shares in the company. Today, there are 300 Wild Birds Unlimited stores in the United States and Canada offering high quality products and customer service to people who love to feed the birds.