Canning

So it's midnight and I'm finishing up canning tomatoes. I have to ask myself...why? My grandmothers did it, my mother did it, it's what you do in the fall. That can be the only explanation. Tradition. It's definitely cheaper to buy canned goods at the store (unless I work for a penny an hour and grow all the food from seed, then it might be break even), but the quality just isn't the same. So I guess it's not only tradition, but quality. I would much rather eat my home grown, home canned tomatoes, salsa, green beans, jams, etc. Plus, there is some pride in participating in a dieing art - Canning. Let's hope they all seal!