What are the advantages and disadvantages of canning?

Answer 1

Advantages:

1. You control what goes into your food, and by extension what goes into you.
2. It is more cost efficient to do it yourself.
3. You get to choose what you preserve.
4. You get the satisfaction of having done it yourself.
5. You join a long line of tradition and history.
6. You become part of a growing (no pun intended) community. Canners and picklers love to share with each other, and to brag about past successes.

Disadvantages:

1. Initial costs can be high.
2. There is a learning curve. There are few classes available for canning and pickling, but see #6 above.
3. It takes time. You can invest a whole summer for growing produce, and several weekends putting it up.