March is the ideal time to plant green peas in the garden. They can handle fairly cold weather, but it’s the heat that usually takes them out. I planted my snap peas this week and you can plant peas until the middle of March for most of middle Tennessee. Green peas prefer cooler weather and mine typically die out in June. When the peas die off, you still have plenty of time to plant beans or other warm season vegetables. They prefer to be directly planted by seeds directly into the ground. I normally plant my peas in tight rows and space them 2-3” apart. Most cultivars of peas need around 60 days in order to mature fully.

There are three main types of green peas: snap, shelling, and snow. Snap peas are the ones where you eat the entire pod. Snow peas have flat pods with tiny green peas inside and shelling peas have fibrous shells and need to be shelled. With peas there also comes different heights on them. Some peas stay dwarf and do not require a system for them to vine up on. Many of the older cultivars need to be staked just like green beans. They can vine up to 70-80” pretty quickly when it warms up in April. Be sure you know which type you’re planting so that you can be prepared for staking them or not.

Snap peas are my favorite because my children love going to the garden and eating the pods right out of the garden. It really is the perfect thing to grow for kids. There are numerous cultivars of snap peas, but good choices seem to have sugar in the name such as ‘Sugar Snap’, ‘Sugar Spring’, and ‘Sugar Ann’. Snow peas are also an excellent pea to grow and work well in the kitchen. ‘Avalanche’ and ‘Oregon Giant’ would be good cultivars to try this year. Shelling peas have a tough fibrous shell and need to be shelled to reveal the sweet green peas. Good selections of shelling peas include ‘Early Alaska’, ‘Strike’, and ‘Wando’.

Make sure you harvest accordingly in the garden. Peas should be harvested when the pods start to fill with the peas. You may have to sample some throughout the week to ensure you’re harvesting them at the correct time. They can over-mature quickly, so make sure you check them daily.

As always, if you have any questions regarding any horticulture facet, feel free to contact Lucas Holman, UT Horticulture Extension Agent, Wilson County at 615-444-9584 or Lholman1@utk.edu.

The University of Tennessee Extension offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Through its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. ag.tennessee.edu.

Smith County authorities arrested a convicted felon following a traffic stop on January 24, 2025, which led to the discovery of a firearm, ammunition, and narcotics.

Sgt. Junior Fields conducted the stop on a brown Ford F-150 for a license plate violation. The driver, identified as Jon Sharp, admitted he did not have insurance and stated he had traveled from Jackson to Sweetwater, Tennessee, to pick up his passenger, Tiffany Harmon. Upon questioning, Mr. Sharp confirmed he was on probation for a methamphetamine-related charge.

Sgt. Fields initiated a probation search, with Officer Kyle Reynolds assisting on scene. During the search, officers located a 9mm Smith & Wesson handgun between the driver’s seat and center console. As a convicted felon, Mr. Sharp was immediately taken into custody.

Ms. Harmon later admitted that Mr. Sharp had handed her a small baggie of methamphetamine before the stop, which she retrieved and turned over to officers. A further search of the vehicle uncovered 120 rounds of 9mm ammunition, a silencer, and two pairs of handcuffs inside a black zippered bag.

Mr. Sharp and Ms. Harmon were arrested and transported to the Smith County Jail for processing. The seized drugs were submitted to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation for analysis, while the firearm, ammunition, and other items were placed into evidence.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency will preview its recommendations for the 2025-26 hunting and trapping seasons at the Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission’s Friday, March 21 meeting at Buffalo Ridge Refuge in Humphreys County. The meeting starts at 9 a.m.

For the Agency’s hunting and trapping seasons recommendations for 2025-26, presenters will be Wildlife and Forestry Chief Joe Benedict, Assistant Chief of Game Management Mark McBride, and Assistant Chief of Habitat Management Wally Akins. The Commission will vote on the proposed regulations at its April 24-25 meeting in Nashville.

TWRA Wildlife Forester Damon Hollis will be recognized for receiving the Joe Kurz Wildlife Manager of the Year Award during the recently held National Wild Turkey Federation Convention. Named in honor of a former Georgia Department of Natural Resources wildlife chief for the vital role he played in improving wildlife management, this award annually recognizes a wildlife manager for exceptional stewardship of wild turkey populations and habitat.

Sumner County Wildlife Officer Montana Michelson will be recognized and introduced to the Commission. He was the recipient of the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) Wildlife Officer of the Year last month and just announced as the annual Shikar Safari Officer Award winner.

The meeting will be the first for Chris Devaney (Lookout Mountain) as TFWC 2025-26 Chairman. Other officers elected during the February meeting were Vice Chairman Greg Davenport (Brentwood) and Secretary Rhonda Moody (Allardt).

Check out the March 2025 edition of the Smith County Chamber Corner Show!

This month’s show features local businesses, community organization and events going on in and around Smith County.

If you would like to promote your event or local business on the Smith County Chamber Corner Show, contact the Smith County Chamber of Commerce by calling 615-735-2093 today. 

Watch the full show below, or catch it on DTC3 TV.

A traffic stop on Interstate 40 in Smith County led to the arrest of a woman found in possession of crack cocaine and fentanyl on the morning of January 21, 2025.

Deputy Nathan Williams stopped a silver Toyota Tacoma near mile marker 257 eastbound after observing the vehicle traveling at 60 mph in the left lane, causing traffic congestion and violating Tennessee’s “slow poke” law. The driver, identified as Kayla Hunter, was informed of the reason for the stop. Upon questioning, she stated that she was on felony probation for theft of property.

A search of the vehicle and personal belongings was conducted, during which authorities found a baggie containing a white rock-like substance believed to be crack cocaine inside Ms. Hunter’s purse. Additional drug paraphernalia, including straws, burnt foil, and baggies with residue, were also discovered. Ms. Hunter admitted that the crack cocaine belonged to her and later revealed that she had hidden fentanyl, a crack pipe, and a cut straw underneath the backseat of the patrol vehicle.

A records check confirmed that Ms. Hunter had an active warrant in White County for violating probation related to a prior drug possession charge. She was taken into custody and transported to the Smith County Jail for processing.

A routine traffic stop in Smith County on January 19, 2025, led to the arrest of a woman found in possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.

K-9 Deputy Brady Dodson stopped a black Nissan Versa for expired registration. Upon approaching the vehicle, the driver, identified as Randi Dodd, provided her information and stepped out of the car to speak with the deputy. When asked if there was anything illegal in the vehicle, Ms. Dodd admitted there was a marijuana joint in the center console, which she claimed to have purchased from a store but could not provide proof of purchase or original packaging.

Ms. Dodd consented to a search of the vehicle, during which Deputy Dodson located a hypodermic syringe containing a brown liquid inside one of her bags. She identified the substance as methamphetamine. An additional empty syringe was also found, along with three marijuana joints inside a glass jar in the center console.

Following her arrest, Ms. Dodd retrieved a black baggie from inside her bra, which she admitted contained methamphetamine weighing approximately one gram. She was then transported to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office for booking.

A routine traffic stop in Smith County led to the arrest of a woman in possession of fentanyl and cocaine on January 16, 2025.

Sgt. Junior Fields of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office stopped a gray Ford Edge after a registration check revealed it was expired as of November 30, 2024. The vehicle also displayed a license plate sticker that belonged to a different vehicle, a black Ford Explorer.

Upon making contact with the driver, Kayla Barger, Sgt. Fields observed that her pants were unbuttoned and unzipped. When questioned about illegal substances in the vehicle, Ms. Barger initially denied possessing anything but later admitted to having a methamphetamine pipe inside. Further questioning led to her revealing that she had narcotics hidden in her pants. She retrieved a bag of drugs and placed it on the hood of the patrol unit.

Field testing confirmed the substance was fentanyl. Officers also discovered a separate bag of unidentified white powder, which Ms. Barger stated was intended to mix with the fentanyl to prevent overdose. Upon arrival at the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, additional testing identified the second substance as cocaine.

Ms. Barger was placed under arrest and transported to the Smith County Jail.

Carthage, Tennessee – March 2025: Citizens Bank, Carthage, TN proudly acknowledges that it has, once again, received a 5-Star Superior rating from BauerFinancial, the Nation’s Premier Bank Rating Firm. A 5-Star Superior rating indicates that Citizens Bank is one of the strongest banks in the nation, excelling in areas of capital, loan quality, profitability and more. This marks the 145th consecutive quarter that Citizens Bank has earned this top rating, which secures it an even more elite status as a “Best of Bauer Bank”, an honor reserved solely for banks that have maintained a 5-Star rating for 25 years or longer.

“A lot of things are changing”, reflects Karen L. Dorway, president of BauerFinancial. “Rules and regulations are being retooled, technology is advancing at lightning speed, and it’s easy to feel like you’re getting lost in the fray,” she continues. “People don’t want to feel like that at their bank. When they walk into a branch, they want to feel confident that their deposits are safe, that all rules are being followed, and that their banker understands their specific needs. That’s why it’s so important to have 5-Star rated (Superior) banks, like Citizens Bank, in our communities. We can be confident that they have our hard-earned deposits properly secured.”

Citizens Bank was established in 1929 and has been meeting the specific needs of the people in the communities it serves for 96 years. You can be proud to call Citizens Bank your bank. Visit citzcar.com.

Authorities in Smith County rescued twelve dogs following an animal neglect investigation that began earlier in January.

On January 7, 2025, Deputy Andrew Burleson responded to a property on Holmes Gap Road after receiving reports of dogs running loose. Upon arrival, he found multiple dogs, some appearing malnourished and a white dog chained to a tree in muddy conditions with only frozen water available. The property owner, Jacob Steinwinder, claimed the dogs had been abandoned in the area and that he had been feeding them. He was advised of Tennessee’s animal welfare laws and given time to improve the animals’ living conditions.

However, when Deputy Burleson returned on January 24 for a follow-up visit, he found no significant improvements. Several dogs were still chained up without access to food or water, and Steinwinder failed to provide proof that any had received veterinary care. During the visit, he admitted that one dog had died and been buried on the property.

In total, twelve dogs were removed from the property. Four severely emaciated dogs were rushed to a local veterinarian, while the Smith County Humane Society took in the remaining eight for treatment and care.

If you are interested in adopting, fostering or donating to their efforts reach out to the Smith County Humane Society for more information.

Now is the ideal time to plant onions in Tennessee. Onions are a cool season crop and prefer growing when the temperatures are cooler in the spring. They can pretty much be eaten throughout their entire growing process from the green leafy stage until they form a bulb.

Onions can be planted in one of three ways. Seeds are the cheapest means of planting onions, but they require more maintenance due to competing weeds. If you are planting your seeds inside to transplant later, then they need to be started at the beginning of January. I typically see them for sale by transplants or bulbs. Either of these methods are easier to work with since you can space them appropriately. Transplants and bulbs are planted 1-2” deep in the soil and 4-5” apart in the rows. Sometimes I will plant mine tighter and pull every other one for a green onion when we need one in the kitchen. This also helps the other onions left in the ground to develop a larger bulb.

There are three main types of onions and each area in the U.S. can require a different type to be successful. Long-day onions require daylengths of 14 or more hours per day in order to form a good bulb. Short-day onions are typically grown in the deep south and these typically won’t form large bulbs in the north. Intermediate-day onions are the most adaptable onions and they are grown throughout the middle section of the U.S. including Tennessee.

Harvesting onions depends on a lot of factors, but they can be harvested anytime you want. If you are wanting the dry onion bulbs then you harvest them when the tops fall over. I have seen people go through and break the necks over when they feel the onions have reached their full potential. Do not leave the mature bulbs in the garden too long because they can rot if left too long. After they are harvested, be sure to cure them somewhere out of the sun. This will help in the storing process and lengthen the time they can be stored.

I’ve with many types of onions in Tennessee, but my favorites are ‘Candy’, ‘Super Star’, and ‘Red Candy’. If you are looking for the Vidalia-type onion, look for one called ‘Granex’ because it is the one that is commonly grown in that section in Georgia.

As always, if you have any questions regarding any horticulture facet, feel free to contact Lucas Holman, UT Horticulture Extension Agent, Wilson County at 615-444-9584 or Lholman1@utk.edu.

The University of Tennessee Extension offers its programs to all eligible persons regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability and is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Through its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. ag.tennessee.edu

article submitted by Lucas Holman, UT Horticulture Extension Agent, Wilson County