Welcome to Willowbottom

Your Complete Guide to Modern Homesteading & Sustainable Living

Homesteading isn’t about having the perfect setup. It’s about using what you have, right where you are. Whether you’re growing a full garden, tending a few windowsill herbs, or just trying to live a little more sustainably, you belong here.

Ready To Start Your Garden?

Thinking about starting a garden but not sure where to begin? Or looking for a better way to plan and manage what you’re already growing? Wherever you are in the process, this is your space to learn, stay organized, and enjoy the experience of growing your own food.

Let’s Grow

Understand Any Location Before You Move There

Get a complete picture of climate, environment, community, and livability, so you can make confident decisions before you move.

Explore

Popular Posts

Three Sisters Gardening Method

Easy Homemade Crusty Rolls

Five reasons you should raise quail instead of chickens

Explore More

Building Great Garden Soil

Understanding Your Growing Zone

Organic Pest Control

Growing your own food starts with knowing where to begin. Our free guide gets you started, and it connects you to a whole library of resources to grow your knowledge right alongside your garden.

Tune In

Watch our latest video on our YouTube channel

View Channel

Follow us @willowbottom_homestead

  • That "dead" flower might actually be next year's garden. Those brown coneflower and black-eyed Susan seed heads aren't just garden debris. They're winter food for birds like goldfinches, and some of those seeds actually need winter before they'll germinate. So when we cut everything down in October and haul it away, we may be removing more than we realize. We're removing part of the winter food supply… and potentially the beginning of next year's garden. This is Part 2 of our Don't Clean Up Your Garden series. Follow for Part 3 → We're getting into what's happening inside those dried stems. DontCleanUpYourGarden, WildlifeGarden, NativePlants, PollinatorGarden, GardeningForWildlife, FallGarden, NativePlantGarden, BirdFriendlyGarden, Goldfinch, GardenTips
  • Your garden isn't dead just because it looks dead. Every fall, we rake the leaves, cut back the flowers, clear away the dead stems, and make everything look neat and tidy. But what if all that "dead" material is actually full of life? Seeds are waiting. Insects are overwintering. Birds are searching for food. And beneath the leaves, an entire winter ecosystem is getting ready for the cold. Winter isn't an empty space between growing seasons. It's part of the life cycle. This is Part 1 of my Don't Clean Up Your Garden series. Follow for Part 2, where we start looking at what's actually happening in that garden you thought was finished for the year. DontCleanUpYourGarden, WildlifeGarden, NativePlants, PollinatorGarden, GardeningForWildlife, FallGarden GardenTips, WildlifeHabitat, EcologicalGardening
  • Cast Iron Banana Bread We've all been there: you have three bananas on the counter that nobody is going to eat. They went spotty two days ago, and then they went past spotty, and every morning you move them a little further down the counter like that will change something. This recipe saves them. Comment 'BANANA BREAD' and I'll send you the recipe. banana bread, whiskey banana bread, banana bread recipe, cast iron banana bread, from scratch baking, homemade banana bread,
  • August feels like the garden's winding down, but it's actually one of the busiest months if you know what to prioritize. There are a few small shifts we make every August that change how our whole fall garden turns out, and most people skip every one of them. Customized Garden Tips: garden.willowbottom.com august garden tasks, fall garden planting, zone 6 garden, vegetable garden care, native plant garden, homestead gardening
  • Most people put their seeds away in August, but right now is your window for a whole second garden. One trick to stretch the season even further: row cover on cold nights. That alone can keep you picking spinach into November. fall gardening, fall garden planting, what to plant in August, cool season crops, fall vegetable garden, second garden, vegetable gardening for beginners
  • Garter snakes get a bad reputation, but they are one of the best garden companions. They're gentle, they help keep pests in check, and they show up when your garden is healthy and thriving. Do you have them in your garden?