Sigh, Mold on pickled beets

[Guest guest]

I made my first batch of pickled beets following the recipe in

Nourishing Traditions. I used a stainless steel stopper to hold the

beets down in a jar, so that none of the beets are near the top of the

water. There's mold all around the stainless steel stopper (definitely

mold, it's white with some green, looks like mold on cheese or bread).

Should I throw this out? Or is it salvageable?

And for next time, if I don't use something to hold them down, then

wouldn't it just get mold on the beets? Any way to prevent this?

Thanks,

Kat