Hello Neighbor: The many facets of Patsy Matthews
Welcome to the introduction of our latest column, “Hello Neighbor” which we hope you will enjoy reading. In Davidson County, we come in contact with some really unique and amazing people. “Hello Neighbor” is Davidson Local’s salute to individuality and our celebration of the wonderful people of Davidson County.
When you encounter Patsy Matthews, you are coming in contact with a woman that is filled with wisdom and talent. It is inspiring how she is constantly reinventing herself and moving with the winds of change.
Everyday that she can, Matthews gets lost in her garden. On the sunny spring afternoon that she invited me over, in her private oasis is exactly where I found her. Lost in the midst of her patch of green and in her own world. A world which she has affectionately cultivated for over a decade and a space that she refers to as her urban garden.
{Image: Clarence-Vernon Hargrave/Davidson Local} Patsy Matthews proudly shows off her urban garden in Lexington.
It was like watching an artist in their studio, as I observed Matthew surveying her seedlings which were now reaching their next stage of growth and pushing through the nourished soil to reveal their delicate sprouts. One of the reasons that her garden grows so lush and abundantly may be the fact that both she and her garden are serenaded daily by the sounds of jazz pouring from her planting shed and melodically filling the space. The variety of items that are grown in Matthew’s organically certified garden is astounding, with the list changing and growing with each season to include:
Purple Onions
Romaine Lettuce
Butter Lettuce
Cabbage
Cucumbers
Squash
Zucchini Corn
Melons & Watermelon
Green Beans
Tomatoes varieties
Numerous herbs including lemon balm, spearmint and much more.
{Image: Clarence-Vernon Hargrave/Davidson Local} Common houseleeks which are also known as hen & chicks are a feature in Matthew’s urban garden.
There is also an array of heirloom plants like common houseleeks which are known as hen and chicks. I got a lesson on gardening as she and I stroll through the meticulously maintained rows. It was there that I learned more about companion planting and a method of planting that is centuries old known as Three Sisters. “Companion planting is a practice that has been adopted in the urban garden to maximize the use of space and production. There are numerous vegetables that thrive when grown together because they sort of help each other out,” said Matthews. “This year I will also be utilizing the Three Sisters method which is where vegetables are planted with another plant that they benefit and thrive from. For example, beans, corn and squash are planted together. The corn gives the beans a structure to grow up and the squash provides ground cover to save moisture and shield weeds. It’s a Native American agricultural practice,” added Matthews.
{Image: Clarence-Vernon Hargrave/Davidson Local} Rows and rows of healthy and organically grown vegetables and herbs adorn the urban garden of Patsy Matthews.
Matthew’s love for gardening is deeply rooted and stems from helping her father in his large garden which is where she discovered her adoration for gardening. After a career in the United States Army, she met her husband, Zane and relocated to Lexington, discovering that her husband too shared the same enthusiasm for gardening. This commonality grew into a garden that they shared with family, friends and the community. This action inspired the urban garden that anchors their property today. Matthew’s urban garden is constantly expanding with grids of carefully planned rows of baby vegetables that dominate the space. During my personal tour, she spoke of and introduced each plant like they were old friends that she wanted me to meet. Having any size garden presents its challenges, but could you imagine having hundreds of plants to protect daily from pests? “There are always hungry insects that love the vegetables as much as we do. It is a constant fight when you have an organic garden,” said Matthews.
It is great to see Matthews weaving her various career interests into an intricate life that continues to evolve. Her love for African artifacts and African culture has become her design muse, inspiring an exclusive line of handmade jewelry which she named Motherland Inspirations. Her original designs began over three decades ago when she was a resident of Baltimore and had a small business creating custom gift boxes, journals and wreaths. Once with leftover material from a project, she began covering beads with unique fabrics and her interest in jewelry making was born. Matthews credits her progress in the craft first came from watching video tutorials, however she has also taken classes to hone certain skills, like soldering. Interjecting cultural and spiritual influences into each piece, she uses semi-precious stones, cowry shells and various metals to make jewelry with a meaning for everyone.
{Image: Clarence-Vernon Hargrave/Davidson Local} Beautiful African mudcloth adorns the space for Motherland Inspiration at the Lexington Farmers Market.
Motherland Inspirations is one of the centerpieces of the Lexington Farmers Market where the space is operated by both Zane and Patsy. The Matthews have been vendors at the market since 2019 and now have a permanent space as a vendor. You will instantly spot their area, beautifully draped with African mudcloth. Their venture with the Lexington Farmers Market began with selling jewelry and plants. The booth now has weekly offerings of fresh vegetables straight from the garden in addition to a wide selection of jewelry and other unique items.
{Image: Clarence-Vernon Hargrave/Davidson Local} Unique rings designed by Patsy Matthews of Motherland Inspirations in Lexington.
“The Lexington Farmers Market carries such a wide selection of healthy, good clean food that is all grown locally, so why not take advantage of it. I wish more people would visit the market and for those that qualify, take advantage of the EBT/SNAP exchange program where their benefits are doubled allowing them to purchase twice the amount of fresh vegetables, meats, eggs, baked goods and fruit. Nothing compares to the taste of food grown with care,” said Matthews.
On most days you will find Patsy Matthews outside in her urban garden, cultivating and strengthening her crop. To purchase her unique jewelry or to get your weekly supply of locally grown vegetables, visit the Lexington Farmers Market on Saturdays until October 12th from 8:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. at The Depot, located at 129 S. Railroad Street in Uptown Lexington. The contact information for Motherland Inspirations is: mlandinsp@gmail.com.
