pickle crock seeping

[Guest guest]

If someone has answered this question before, I am sorry I couldn't

find it.

I have a pickle crock (unknown age but probably 20 - 30 years old).

Typical crock - white glaze on outside, brown glaze on inside. I have

never used the crock for other than decoration before as I was out of

the home preserving scene for some time. I am making 7 Day Pickles

and adding boiling water when I should. The smell and look fine.

Today when I went to change the water there was dark brown liquid on

the outside of the crock. Like when a water glass sweats with

condensation. I thought my husband cooked something on the stove and

it splattered. Then I noticed it was up to the fill line of the

crock. I wiped off the liquid - no smell, not sticky. Thought

nothing more of it except " weird " . Then when I added the new boiling

water it started to happen again!

I would understand if the liquid was clear. We live in southern New

Mexico and the swamp cooler has been on non-stop for days so of course

there would condensation on the outside with the boiling water on the

inside. What concerns me is that the liquid is dark brown like the

glaze.

Has anyone heard of this happening before? If so, is it dangerous? I

certainly don't want to poison my friends and family!

Please let me know! I really don't want to throw the whole batch

(they are from homegrown cukes and I don't have that many) but I will

if I have too.

Thank you very much!