Niya Brown Matthews Is Growing More Than Food

On a Thursday afternoon in late August, Niya Brown Matthews was talking about her chickens. Not just about their eggs, but about their personalities. Each have their own way of getting her attention. The sign on their coop? “All the single ladies.” It is the kind of conversation that offers a glimpse into life at Twin Oak Farms GA, where a typical day might find Niya in her overalls, knee deep in dirt, planting, tending, or harvesting.

What began as a way to grow food for her family has become much more. Today, Niya is a farmer, motivational speaker, wife of an NFL player, two-time breast cancer survivor, and author whose work brings together food education, community, and faith. Through Twin Oak Farms GA, she and her husband, Eric, help people discover what is possible when they learn to grow their own food.

But Niya did not always see herself as a farmer. In fact, spending time outdoors was not exactly her idea of a good time.

The Beginning Wasn’t What She Expected

During the pandemic, Niya and Eric began thinking more seriously about their health and their relationship with food. Eric found land in Douglasville, Georgia, and the idea of growing their own food began to take shape.

There was just one problem. Niya did not like being outside. Bugs, heat, and dirt were not things she was looking to welcome into her daily routine. Then, Niya says, she heard God telling her in her sleep: “I want you to start growing your own food.” When she woke up, she told Eric, “He told me to tell you to build.” They started with the basics, growing lettuce and beans for their family. Niya says she picked it up quickly. Before long, what started as a personal project became something larger. She felt led to teach others, even inviting strangers onto their personal property to learn.

“Now you’re watching the fruit of my obedience.”

That willingness to follow an instruction she did not fully understand would change the direction of her life. The woman who once avoided the outdoors was now spending eight to twelve hours a day in the garden.

What the Garden Has Taught Her

For Niya, the garden is more than a place to grow food. It gives her room to hear God without the noise of everyday life competing for her attention. She describes the experience as receiving a daily download. It is where she slows down, listens, and pays attention to what God is showing her. She also shares encouragement from the garden through her online series, “Coming Live from the Garden,” which she describes as a daily dose of encouragement and spiritual nourishment.

“Everything will preach to you when you’re out there gardening.”

Even the things that once frightened Niya have become part of the experience. Worms, garden snakes, rats, and other creatures she would have run from are now things she takes time to observe. Instead of reacting with fear, Niya has learned to ask what purpose they serve in the garden.

The experience has changed how she looks at growth. Gardening requires patience and attention. Seeds need water, sunlight, and care. The work cannot be rushed, and the harvest does not come simply because someone wants it to.

She has noticed that people who attend her workshops are not always interested in learning only how to plant. Some want to understand what gardening can teach them about faith and life.

Her Husband, Her Partner in the Work

Eric has been part of the journey from the beginning. Niya says he has watched her follow God’s instructions through several different assignments, including Soul Food Sessions and taking women to the mountaintop. He has seen the fruit of those experiences and understands that her work may look different from one season to the next. When she felt led to grow food and teach others, he supported her. Niya says Eric told her that the Lord had shown him she needed his support, and he has continued to stand with her.

That support has been practical as well as personal. Eric’s carpentry skills have helped bring garden projects to life, from building structures at their farm to creating gardens for clients and communities. Niya affectionately calls him “Bob the Builder.” Their partnership has allowed each of them to bring their gifts to the work.

Growing Food, Growing Community

Niya wants people to understand where their food comes from and why knowing how to grow it matters. Her interest goes beyond gardening as a hobby. She sees food education as an opportunity to strengthen families, bring people together, and help communities become more intentional about what they eat. “We need to unlearn some of the things that we’ve learned back in the days,” she said. “To know better is to do better.”

Niya often uses examples from the garden to show how much can come from a small beginning. One mustard seed can produce a season’s harvest of mustard greens. A harvest can provide more than enough for one household, creating opportunities to share with neighbors, gather as a family, or barter with others.

For those who want to start growing food but assume they need acres of land, Niya encourages them to reconsider. Gardening can happen in a backyard, on a patio, in buckets, or even through hydroponic systems for people living in apartments. Her advice is to work with the space and resources available and begin where you are.

Interest in her workshops continues to grow, with registrations often selling out. Niya believes more people are recognizing the value of learning how to provide food for themselves and their families. She also speaks about her concerns regarding food systems and the possibility of future shortages. Her belief that God is preparing people for what is ahead has added urgency to her desire to teach others.

For Niya, learning to grow food is not about living in fear. It is about becoming informed, developing practical skills, and recognizing the value of what can be grown close to home.

When the Assignment Gets Bigger

One of the projects that helped move Twin Oak Farms GA into a new season came through an unexpected opportunity with Elizabeth Baptist Church in Atlanta. After seeing Niya’s work online, Bishop Craig Oliver reached out and invited her and Eric to bring their gardening experience to the church property. The assignment was larger than anything they had taken on before, and Niya admits she had her doubts. But she says God reminded her, “Didn’t I tell you, you could do it?” They moved forward and completed a community garden designed to provide food for the surrounding community, including seniors.

That project became an important turning point. It showed them that the skills they had developed at Twin Oak Farms GA could serve people well beyond their own property. Since then, they have continued building gardens for clients and communities, traveling to North Carolina, Washington, D.C., Tennessee, and other parts of Georgia. They work with different budgets and help people find ways to make gardening possible in their own spaces.

When people questioned her experience, credentials, and ability to grow certain crops, she had to decide whose instruction she would follow. Her response was to keep learning, keep listening, and keep moving.

What’s Next for Niya

The work at Twin Oak Farms GA continues to expand. Niya has a book deal, with a release planned for 2027. She has previously self-published, but this opportunity represents a new chapter. She sees having a publisher recognize and invest in her work as confirmation of how far the journey has come.

Still, when asked what she wants people to take away from her story, Niya brings the conversation back to a simple invitation: start. “Please grow, start your own garden,” she said. “You don’t have to have a green thumb. All you need is a willingness to want to learn how to do it. Start where you are. Start small. Grow a salad bar, grow a herb garden. I don’t care. Start somewhere.”