How long will the canned products be ok to keep? For example, pickled peppers, or apple butter? 

Do I need to keep the canned goods in a dark place? I do have a basement which is notebly cooler than the rest of the house and it is dimmer than the rest of the house, but not dark. Should I cover the shelves to keep the canned goods in the dark? 

What an incredible site you have here - thanks for any answers. 

Hi Mark,

It is recommended that you use home canned foods in one year.  I am comfortable using things like pickles and apple butter for longer than that.  But USDA recommends 1 year. 

Storing your jars in a cooler area is the best. Not freezing though.  If the foods freeze they will expand and may break the jar.  

Dark is also best.  As long as the jars are not in direct sunlight you probably don't need to cover with towels.  Although it certainly won't hurt.  Direct sunlight will affect the quality of the foods in the jars.  It will fade the colors and affects nutrition as well.  

I keep a portion of my jars are stored right in my pantry and so they get light off and on during the day as the pantry is used.  I have had no problems. 

Another thing I do is start storing your jars right back in the box that the jars came in.  This is if you have some of the old boxes canning jars used to come in.  Now jars are sold in trays covered in plasic.  The older boxes are worth saving if you find any. I'll fill a box and label the outside so I can replenish my pantry.  
Thank you so much for your compliment!  I am striving to make my site easy to navigate and thorough, so your comment means a lot to me.  

Sharon
 

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands.... 1Thessalonians 4:11