Ancient Eating on the Eastern Shore

Jeanette E. Sherbondy • April 13, 2022

Tuckahoe plant (Peltandra virginica) in marsh. Photo: Wikimedia commons

What did the ancient peoples living on the Eastern Shore eat aside from the meats we still eat? Deer, turkey, beaver, squirrel, pheasant, partridge, geese, ducks, muskrats, and fishes of many kinds were available as well as crabs and oysters, but what else?

Not French fries. Potatoes originated in the South American Andean mountains, but went to Europe first and then came back to North America with the Europeans who brought their own native carrots, parsnips, cabbage, and beets in addition to potatoes.

Europeans also introduced their native grains — barley and rye — and brought wheat from the Middle East. Corn (maize) and squashes were also imports, but from travelers who brought them from Mexico to the Southwest, and then to the Mississippi watershed, and later to the Eastern woodlands about 3,000 years ago.

So what form of starch had the Indigenous people been eating here in earlier millennia? The staple was tuckahoe or tockwogh; this translates into English as arrowroot, or arrow arum (Peltandria virginica). The leaves are shaped like arrow heads. It’s also known informally as duck corn.

Tuckahoe grows throughout the eastern United States and Canada and all along the east coast. It likes still or slow-moving waters, such as ponds, swamps, marshes, and the banks of streams. It can grow in full sun to shade — a very adaptable plant. Wherever groups of people went in the east they could depend on finding arrow arum in wet places. The variety found mostly here and up to Pennsylvania provided the early native peoples with edible seeds, fruits, leaves, and roots. The water birds fed on it too!

The roots form a perennial rhizome that is a good source of starch, but it needs preparation before eating. It contains calcium oxalate — microscopic needle-shaped crystals that make your lips, mouth, throat, tongue, and fingers swell and burn. Too much of it can be fatal, but with the instantaneous warning of burning and swelling, people soon learned to cook it for a very long time (at least 9 hours), heat it, dry it, and then grind it up to make breads and soups. The boiled spadix (flower spike) and berries were considered a luxury, and it seems to have a hint of cocoa flavor.

It's a hard job to dig up these rhizomes and the mud stinks, but it was a reliable food. The women did the hard work of digging up the roots and tossing them into the open stream for the children to gather and put in the canoe. These piled up like potatoes. Back on shore the women peeled off the rind and cut it into thin slices for sun drying.

The women then pounded the sun dried tuckahoe in a wooden mortar to make flour for dumplings or to thicken a stew. They kept a stew boiling constantly. Returning hunters contributed meats and fish as well as shellfish to the stew. This was the basic diet for millennia from 20,000 years ago.

Tuckahoe was eaten every month of the year, but it was very important in the winter when people had to live off stored up foods. In the spring it was the main plant growing that they could eat. In March and April they ate stews of tuckahoe and available meat: fish, turkey, squirrel, ducks, and geese. In May and June nuts and berries became available to supplement tuckahoe and the meats acquired by hunting. Only about 3,000 years ago did they start to use these months of the year to plant fields of maize and squash.

Maize was the domesticated product of teosinte that grows wild in Mexico. Domesticated 8,700 years ago, maize is a “short-day” plant that requires less exposure to light. It takes 9 months to grow in Mexico, but has to ripen more quickly in northern latitudes above the Tropic of Capricorn. By 4,100 years ago it had adapted genetically to the Southwest, New Mexico, and Arizona. It spread slowly to the Eastern Shore, and was a great crop for starch.

Squash (Cucurbita pepo) also was domesticated as a crop around 3,000 years ago. It was initially used for its seeds and as gourd containers. Later the flesh was eaten and in Mexico the flowers are eaten. I have a jar of squash flowers from Mexico that I bought in Chestertown. It is recommended for inclusion in quesadillas.

No beans are mentioned in the archaeological record for the eastern coastal areas. Phaseolus vulgaris, the common bean, is native to Mexico. It spread throughout South and Central America and from Mexico it was taken north to the American Southwest for cultivation, but the history of any spread to the eastern woodlands has not been studied. The Europeans introduced their native broad bean, Fava, that is not related to the American beans.

Maize and squash were preferred to any earlier cultivated crop. The Eastern Shore peoples had green corn ready from June through August; summer meats were snake and fish. From July to September the crops were ripening. From August to October the crops were ready to eat, though tuckahoe was always part of the diet along with berries and nuts (walnut, hickory and bitter pecan). The next few months were times of plenty on the Eastern Shore. Migrating ducks and geese added succulent meats to the tuckahoe and corn stews.

Here is a modern recipe for preparing tuckahoe by Green Deane of EatTheWeeds.com:

“Like the Jack-in-the-Pulpit, the best use is to slice it up and dry it for a few months. It can also be roasted in an oven for a day or more, which is not cost effective. The Indians would collect them, bury them in the ground, build a huge fire over them and cook them for a day or more.

“Tuckahoe also responds to microwaving but it is hard to get the right timing between making it safe to eat and turning it to charcoal. However, microwaving it some shortens the drying time to edibility significantly. I nuke the slices one minute to 90 seconds and then let them sit until edible, which can be immediately to a few weeks.

“Another technique I’ve used is my solar oven. I peel the roots and put them in whole. It takes about 10 hours of solar drying over two days to make them edible, though hard. I haven’t tried making them into chips and using a shorter amount of time.

“The edibility test is the same for the Jack-in-the-Pulpit. To test them: Chew a quarter-inch square piece on one side of your mouth for a full minute then spit it out and wait ten minutes. And I mean chew for a minute and I mean wait ten minutes and I mean one side of your mouth (to limit the area that burns). The effect can be quite delayed. If the calcium oxalate is still present it will make one side of your mouth burn, and your tongue and lips. That can last up to a half an hour or so. If no burn, try a bigger piece the same way. If no burn then, you’re ready to go.

“You can eat the dry chips as is, or grind them up as a flour. If you air dried them they can be used as a thickener. If you dried them at over 150F they can be used as a flour but not as a thickener because the starch will have already been cooked.”

This is the true Eastern Shore food. It takes hard work to pick and prepare but it was a plentiful source of starch every month of the year, essential to the diet of the Eastern Shore Indians.

Sources:

Busby, Virginia (2002) Chapter 5: “Delmarva Ethnohistory in Hickory Bluff: Changing Perceptions of Delmarva Archaeology” in Hickory Bluff: Changing Perceptions of Delmarva Archaeology, compiled by Michael D. Petraglia, et al.

https://www.academia.edu/34872668/Chapter_5_Delmarva_Ethnohistory_in_Hickory_Bluff_Changing_Perceptions_of_Delmarva_Archaeology

Green Deane, “Tuckahoe, Arrow Arum”, Eat the Weeds

https://www.eattheweeds.com/peltandra-virginica-starch-storer-2/

Roundtree, Helen C. (1995) Young Pocahontas in the Indian World, Yorktown, Virginia

Wikipedia, Eastern Agricultural Complex

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Agricultural_Complex

Wikipedia, Peltandra virginica

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peltandra_virginica

Jeanette E. Sherbondy is a retired anthropology professor from Washington College and has lived here since 1986. In retirement she has been active with the Kent County Historical Society and Sumner Hall, one of the organizers of Legacy Day, and helped get highway /historical markers recognizing Henry Highland Garnet. She published an article on her ethnohistorical research of the free Black village, Morgnec.

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US Wind, Oceantic Pitch Offshore Wind Future Amid Trump Attacks

By Jan Plotczyk • September 10, 2025

At Shore Progress’s monthly meeting last week, the tension between national politics and local opportunity was on full display. With President Donald Trump escalating his attacks on offshore wind, representatives from US Wind and the Oceantic Network made their case directly to members gathered in Salisbury. From the outset, the presenters stressed the scale of what’s coming to the Eastern Shore. “This project is the equivalent of building two nuclear power plants off our coast,” US Wind representative Dave Wilson said, pointing to plans for 114 turbines and four offshore substations. Together, he said, the project will generate two net gigawatts of clean energy, enough to power approximately 26% of the homes in Maryland. The presentation walked members through the timeline: a four-phase buildout beginning in the southeast corner of the lease area, with each phase, including its own export cable, routed through Indian River Bay into the regional grid at the Indian River Power Plant in Delaware. Environmental safeguards on display Slides showed how US Wind plans to minimize negative effects on wildlife. The company will use an aircraft detection lighting system to keep turbines dark until a low-flying aircraft approaches, reducing night-sky light pollution. Marine protections include bubble curtains to dampen noise during pile driving, visual and acoustic monitoring for whales, and strict shutdown zones if animals enter construction areas. Lights will be on less than 1% of the time in any given year, underscoring their view that offshore wind can coexist with migratory birds, commercial fishing, and marine transit. Economic promise for the Shore The discussion turned quickly to what the project means locally. US Wind pledged hundreds of jobs for the Shore, with commitments to use union labor and partner with minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses. Officials noted that the Lower Shore Workforce Alliance has already received $700,000 from Maryland Works for Wind to build training programs, while community colleges are adjusting trade curricula to educate the next generation of turbine technicians. A planned operations and maintenance facility in West Ocean City will house technicians and crew transfer vessels, bringing steady employment and infrastructure investment to the harbor. A national fight with local stakes The meeting didn’t shy away from politics. Several members noted Trump’s repeated attempts to derail offshore wind projects including his latest push to revoke US Wind’s federal permit. US Wind officials acknowledged that such lawsuits could delay progress but insisted that the project’s federal approvals are on solid ground. “This is the Eastern Shore's moment,” Shore Progress Chair Jared Schablein said, referring to a slide that showed more than $815 million in offshore wind investments statewide. “The question is whether politics will slow us down, or whether we keep building for the Shore’s future.” The presentation had a clear message: Offshore wind is not just about clean power, but also about jobs, investment, and opportunity for Eastern Shore families. Jan Plotczyk spent 25 years as a survey and education statistician with the federal government, at the Census Bureau and the National Center for Education Statistics. She retired to Rock Hall.

Gov. Moore Signs “Housing Starts Here” Order to Tackle Maryland’s Affordability Crisis

By Gren Whitman • September 10, 2025

Standing at the Legacy at Twin Rivers apartment community in Howard County, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed an executive order aimed at addressing his state’s deepening housing crisis. Titled Housing Starts Here, his order is designed to accelerate construction of affordable homes and cut through what Moore called years of “no and slow” decision-making in state housing policy. Maryland is facing a shortage of at least 96,000 housing units, according to state estimates, a gap that officials say has driven up prices, pushed families out of the state, and stifled economic growth. “Building pathways to wealth for Marylanders, creating jobs, attracting new businesses and residents, growing our economy, and securing our future all start with housing,” Moore said at the signing. “We need to be the state of yes and now.” Five guiding principles The executive order lays out five core priorities for state housing policy: Use state land for housing . Agencies must identify surplus properties and land near transit stations that can be converted into new housing developments. Cut red tape. State permitting processes will be streamlined, with new rules allowing third-party reviewers to accelerate approvals. Strengthen partnerships. A new State Housing Ombudsman will serve as a liaison to help coordinate projects between state agencies, local governments, and developers. Set clear goals. By January 2026, the state will publish housing production targets for each county and update them every five years. Incentivize affordable housing. Jurisdictions that meet housing targets or pass pro-housing policies will be recognized with new Maryland Housing Leadership Awards, making them more competitive for state funding. Speed as the priority State officials said the new framework is focused on cutting delays that can hold back projects for years. By digitizing applications, engaging multiple agencies simultaneously, and allowing outside reviewers, the state aims to expedite project completion while upholding environmental and community standards. What could this mean for us on the Eastern Shore? Moore acknowledged that housing affordability consistently ranks as Marylanders’ No. 1 concern. For young people in particular, high costs and long commutes are major reasons they leave the state. The order seeks to reverse that trend, tying housing growth to job creation and transit access. On the Eastern Shore , where rental availability and starter homes are limited, Moore’s order could open opportunities for mixed-use, transit-oriented projects on state-owned land, as well as accelerate approval for affordable housing initiatives backed by nonprofits and local developers. What comes next The Department of Housing and Community Development will publish the state’s first set of production targets by Jan. 1, 2026, followed by annual progress reports starting in 2027. Agencies have until March 2026 to implement many of the new permitting and funding acceleration rules. Moore framed the executive order as a generational investment. “Making housing more affordable is not just about building shelter, it’s about building a legacy,” he said.

Alsobrooks Leads Push to Remove RFK Jr. From HHS, Citing “Costs, Chaos, and Corruption”

By Gren Whitman • September 10, 2025

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) has intensified her calls for Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to step down, releasing a detailed report that she says proves his tenure has been a disaster for American families. The first senator to demand Kennedy’s resignation in May, Alsobrooks joined Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) in unveiling a 54-page report that chronicles what they describe as the “costly, chaotic, and corrupt” record of Kennedy’s first 203 days at the department. Released before Kennedy’s Senate hearing last week, the report outlines examples of alleged mismanagement for each day since he was sworn in on Feb. 13. “Robert Kennedy’s tenure as America’s chief health officer has been higher costs, more chaos, and boundless corruption,” Wyden said. “His actions are endangering children, leaving parents confused and scared, and forcing families and taxpayers to pay more for their health care.” Echoing that assessment, Alsobrooks cited testimony from scientists at the National Institutes of Health in Maryland who she says have watched critical cancer research grind to a halt under Kennedy’s leadership. “His actions are increasing Americans’ health care costs, causing chaos, and furthering the Trump administration’s endless stream of corruption,” she said. The report argues that Kennedy has: Driven up costs by backing the Trump administration’s budget plan, which Alsobrooks says strips health coverage from 15 million Americans while handing tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations. Created chaos by dismantling HHS programs, undermining research institutions, and promoting vaccine misinformation. Engaged in corruption by using the office to advance personal and family financial interests, particularly around limiting vaccine access. Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group, praised Alsobrooks’ leadership. “President Trump and Senate Republicans made a grievous error when entrusting Kennedy with our nation’s health,” the group said in. “It is far past time that President Trump rectifies this error by firing Kennedy before more lives are unnecessarily put at risk.” Alsobrooks appeared on the Morning Joe TV show on to discuss the findings and to reiterate her demand that Kennedy resign or be removed. “This is about protecting families and protecting science,” she said. “Our nation’s health system cannot afford another day under Robert Kennedy’s reckless watch.” As a community organizer, journalist, administrator, project planner/manager, and consultant, Gren Whitman has led neighborhood, umbrella, public interest, and political committees and groups, and worked for civil rights and anti-war organizations.

Wicomico Officials Advance ICE Partnership Amid Community Opposition and Rising Concerns

By CSES Staff • September 10, 2025

Wicomico County leaders have announced plans to move forward with the federal government’s controversial 287(g) program, entering into an agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that would deputize local officers to serve immigration warrants inside the county jail. Under the model selected, known as the Warrant Service Officer program, specially trained deputies at the detention center would be allowed to serve civil immigration warrants on individuals already in custody. County Executive Julie Giordano and Sheriff Mike Lewis emphasized that deputies would not conduct street-level immigration enforcement. “Public safety is our top responsibility,” Giordano said. “The Warrant Service Officer program provides our sheriff’s office with the tools they need to address individuals already in custody who may pose a risk to our community at no additional cost to the county.” Lewis added that the program “gives our deputies the ability to safely and lawfully carry out their duties while ensuring that Wicomico County remains a secure place to live, work, and raise a family.” Community pushback The announcement drew swift opposition from civil rights and community organizations, including the ACLU of Maryland, the Wicomico NAACP, and local grassroots groups such as Crabs on the Shore, who have warned that the agreement will harm immigrant families, sow fear, and erode trust between residents and law enforcement. Opponents also criticized the process, arguing that the decision was rushed through without meaningful public input despite repeated calls for hearings. “This is being framed as an administrative detail, but it has huge consequences for our neighbors,” one advocate said. Concerns about cost and precedent Supporters of the WSO model have emphasized that the partnership comes “at no additional cost” to Wicomico taxpayers, but critics point out that other jurisdictions have found otherwise. Anne Arundel County canceled its own 287(g) agreement, citing high costs and community backlash. The Camden Police Department in Delaware withdrew from a similar partnership after public protests in May. Advocates note that the federal government does not fully reimburse counties for the time, training, and legal exposure associated with 287(g) programs, leaving local taxpayers to shoulder hidden expenses. First on Delmarva If finalized, Wicomico County would become the first government or police agency on the Delmarva Peninsula to formally enter into a 287(g) agreement with ICE. Supporters say that distinction demonstrates a commitment to accountability and public safety. Opponents warn it risks branding the county as hostile to immigrant communities that have long been central to the Shore’s workforce, particularly in poultry processing and agriculture. The county’s decision comes amid a broader national debate about local involvement in federal immigration enforcement, with critics warning that partnerships like 287(g) make communities less safe by discouraging victims and witnesses from coming forward. For now, the final agreement is pending federal approval. But with strong opposition already mobilized, the fight over Wicomico’s new partnership is likely only beginning.

Wicomico Democrats Silent as County Leaders Advance ICE Agreement

By CSES Staff • September 10, 2025

Wicomico County Republicans have moved forward with an agreement to join the federal 287(g) program, aligning the county with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). County Executive Julie Giordano and Sheriff Mike Lewis are backing the program to train county officers at the detention center to help ICE identify non-citizens for deportation proceedings. The agreement has triggered strong pushback from immigrant advocates, civil rights groups, and community leaders who warn that this partnership will erode trust between residents and law enforcement, risk racial profiling, and allot local tax dollars to assist federal immigration enforcement. Yet amid the growing controversy, the Wicomico County Democratic Central Committee has issued no response to the ICE agreement, even as residents voice frustration that the Democratic establishment’s silence has ceded the conversation to Republicans. Moreover, the Central Committee has remained silent with regard to recent comments by Democratic Councilwoman April Jackson, who told the Washington Post that the poultry industry should reduce its reliance on immigrant workers. Jackson also said, “a lot of Americans aren’t employed because the Haitians are taking our jobs.” Jackson’s remarks have drawn widespread criticism from immigrant advocates. For many residents, the Democratic leadership’s silence is as much of a concern as the county government’s new partnership with ICE. As the county waits for federal approval of the 287(g) agreement, the absence of a Democratic counterweight has left immigrant families and community organizers to carry the opposition on their own.

As Questions Swirl About County Executive Run, Del. Sheree Sample-Hughes to Host Community Conversation in Dorchester

By Community Desk • September 10, 2025

With speculation mounting that Delegate Sheree Sample-Hughes (D-37A) may run for County Executive for Wicomico County in 2026, the longtime Eastern Shore lawmaker will headline a Community Conversation in Dorchester County on Sept. 17 at 6 pm. Sponsored by the Eastern Shore Democrats, the event will give residents the opportunity to hear Sample-Hughes speak about local priorities — schools, public safety, health care access, and economic development in the mid-Shore. Sample-Hughes, former Speaker Pro Tem of the Maryland House of Delegates, has represented portions of Wicomico and Dorchester counties for more than a decade. Her record includes bipartisan work on district projects, as well as efforts to expand health services and invest in infrastructure. Although organizers emphasize that the Sept. 17 gathering is not a campaign event, the timing has fueled interest. Political observers note that any appearance by Sample-Hughes will be closely watched as Democrats weigh potential challengers for County Executive in the upcoming cycle. The forum will include remarks from the delegate, followed by a question-and-answer session. Seating is available first-come, first-served and residents from across the Shore are encouraged to attend. Key details What: Community Conversation with Del. Sheree Sample-Hughes When: Sept. 17, 6 pm Where: Dorchester County, venue to be announced by organizers. Format: Remarks followed by audience Q&A Before her election to the House of Delegates, Sample-Hughes served on the Wicomico County Council. Should she enter the county executive race, many believe she would be a serious challenger to Republican incumbent Julie Giordano.