7 replies to this topic

[Cat]

Trying to save the jars from Mom's old, old canning...

On the plus side, I will NEVER need to buy jars again. I think I'll need a pallet of rings and lids, though.

Hubby walks over while I'm peeling off the rusted metal rings with pliers and snips, dumping the rotted, discolored contents, and asks "Are you SURE you can still use those jars??" "Yes, Dear, they can be cleaned and sterilized." Where's the agricultural lime, again???

Some things surprised me. They still smelled like they should, even after 13-15 years. Other things, not so much. Some things I have NO IDEA what they were.

Found something I thought was small, whole potatoes. Turned out to be pickled eggs. The lids were one-piece, and I tried to save the jars but gave up. It was just too difficult to try to get into them enough to cut off/peel off those stupid lids! Luckily it was only 4 jars.

So I was telling Sis about them, wondering WHY Mom would can eggs! She said, "Well, I canned pickled eggs... why?" I told her that they are a HUGE no-no. And she said she found it in a canning book, so she used it. And that she had used those kind of lids in Mexico, when they still had their chickens.

Turns out those pickled eggs were probably over 25 years old.

[Annarchy]

Now Cat, be careful for botulism. Yeah, yeah, I know you know, just say'n. Don't wanna hear you got ill.

When we were little, across the street, was a basement from a burned down home. My siblings and I explored it and found shelves and shelves of canned stuff with 1920 dates. I did not have the nerve to open them, but kept asking mom, 'are you sure they are not any good?'. Her reply was always, "don't touch!"


Congrats on the jar score.

Pickled eggs...

[Cat]

Yup, thanks. I use rubber gloves and I'm careful with the tools I'm using and I'm VERY careful. Don't need any of those nasties in my life.

[Violet]

Cat, you really should NOT be opening those jars of food unless they are acidic fruits ! Do not open any low acid foods. Toss the jars and all. Do not flush or put down the garbage disposal. No pets should be allowed near any place you would bury the jars.

You can get botulism from opening them. Not only can you inhale it, it can drip on the counter, etc. A pinpoint amount can kill a person plus a whole city of about 65,000 ! If it gets inside a cut, it can also kill or paralyze you.

Please, don't put yourself at risk over some jars. It is not worth it.

[Cat]

I know, Violet, and I wouldn't EVER bring any of those cans inside my house. I have a pit where I'm dumping the waste, covering with agricultural lime, and it will be well buried. Yes, I probably should be even more careful than that.

The cans are outside until I soak them outside in hot, soapy, bleach water. After that I rinse them, then store them in the pole barn until I can safely sterilize them in the summer days. I could even boil them outside if I choose, but I'm not sure yet. I use gloves at every stage and leave them out of the house, too.

Since we live way out in the country, I can leave an unsightly mess for a while.

And I don't really like the idea of dumping them all in a landfill, either. The thought of those broken jars dripping all over the truck and maybe the roads... Ever follow one of those dripping garbage trucks?

[Cat]

I am pretty much finished dumping. And I will never do that again.

I have a very few jars left, but it won't take much to finish. It started raining, so I stopped.

I wouldn't have cleaned out those jars if I didn't live out here in the country, away from others, and could do it all outside. And I have a pit to bury this junk in. I threw out one pair of rubber gloves when I saw they were getting worn, and will throw out the other pair when I finish dumping the last few cans. The can openers will be thoroughly sterilized *outside* the house in bleach water before being in my house again. I scrubbed my shoes with sanitizer, too, and washed my clothing with bleach in the wash.

The job's only half done. I will need to soak these jars in hot, soapy bleach water when the weather is better for an extended time. For now they are stored upside-down, away from animal reach.

The oldest jar I found dated was a jar of what still looked like blueberries from 1961. I was 4 that year. It could have been one from my grandma's stash, but SHEESH.

The reason I've posted about it is to stress safety and sense. When you preserve food yourself, follow the safety guidelines. Take Botulism and other "nasties" VERY seriously. Do things *RIGHT* from the beginning. Don't take chances. Some of her jars had seals intact but there was mold inside. Other things should never have been canned... they were too dense even newly canned.

And USE the foods that you take so much care to can. She spent countless hours and money on these jars, and it was all - every bit - a waste.

[Gardengabber]

Soooo...how did the jars turn out? I am suprised you didn't need to suit up in Tyvek and half face respirator. yuck! I give you kudo's for braving all that!

[Amishway Homesteaders]

wow!