Growing up in a steel town, I did not have the resources to do experiments that would make my garden vegetables grow and bear a decent product.

A private pilot license can be obtained in the U.S. as long as you're over 16 and can pass a Physical- a basic license allows you to fly single-engine aircraft. 

What is a project? I define a project as something temporary with a defined starting and ending point, and provides a product or service that will add value.