Old South Cucumber Lime Pickles - cooking recipe

Ingredients

7 lbs cucumbers, sliced
1 cup mrs. wages pickling lime
2 gallons water
8 cups distilled white vinegar, 5% acidity
8 cups sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons mixed pickling spices
1 (1 ounce) bottle green food coloring, it may not take that much, but you want them a very dark green color

Preparation

Soak clean cucumbers in water and lime mixture in crockery or enamel ware for 2 hours or overnight. Do not use aluminum ware.
Remove sliced cucumbers from lime water. Discard lime water. Rinse 3 times in fresh cold water. Soak 3 hours in ice water.
combine vinegar, sugar, salt and mixed pickling spices in a large pot. Bring to a low boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Remove syrup from heat ad add sliced cucumbers. Soak 5-6 hours or overnight.
Boil slices in the syrup 35 minutes. Fill sterilized jars with hot slices. Pour hot syrup over the slices, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Cap each jar when filled.
Process pints 10 minutes, quarts 15 minutes in a boiling water bath canner.
Test jars for airtight seals according to manufacturer's instructions. Refrigerate unsealed jars.