Yesterday I went to store my new batch of apricot jam in the basement
pantry. I found so many jars that should have been eaten, donated,or
thrown out, dating back to 2002. I cleaned out the shelf, finding 51
jars of jam, chutney, and pickles that were outdated, discolored, and
just plain inedible. DH helped me empty them out into gallon ziplock
bags which went into the trash. I suspect a lot of the apricot were from
years when our trees had a bumper crop.

The upside is that I now have 51 clean, empty jars to give away to the
neighborhood beekeeper and a boatload of rings. (We threw away the
lids, of course.) I still have cases of empty old pint and quart jars
from the "olden days" when we had a big garden and the energy to preserve.

gloria p