Some years, apples in Washington State were plentiful, others very few loads. It all depended on the weather, and how much rain, frost, wind or insects they got. When the first frosts came in the spring, what month. Or did they get a warm spell in the winter and the trees budded then another month of winter weather and killed the fresh buds. Did the cold weather come down from Canada or up from Oregon? That was the decider on whether apples would be plentiful in the Northern Counties or the Southern Counties. Once the trees budded did a strong wind come through the area and blow half the buds off the trees, or did a strong rain come in wash the buds off the trees just before they reached period when they would germinate the other trees? In mid growing season did the rain keep coming or stop? Did the winds bring in a heavy bark insect infestation. Was the weather good for the apple worms in the North or the South that year? Those were the deciding factors on where the loads came from and it also decided if the farmers made money or lost money that year? Some years the Northern Counties would do great and the Southern Counties would have another year of 40% production. It also decided if the price of apple sauce was cheap in the stores and the price of apples was high.
How do you keep a trucking company operating with the drivers, mechanics, dispatchers working when there isn't enough produce loads within 300 miles to keep everyone working 5 days a week? It's simple you can't.
So that is why produce is hauled by the "independants". The guys who are willing to live on the road 28 days a month. The guys who never knew what section of North America the work would be in that year. By the way, the processing plants don't move every year.
That's my experiences with apple produce growers. I hauled everything from apples to frozen orange juice and dry frieght. Now, if you want my experiences with cattle ranching I can go on for days. Do you really want to know why the price of baled hay goes from $40.00 a ton to $200.00 a ton in one year? Then you pay the phone bill and give me a call sometime.
I would bet your home made meat is super, but the question is: Are you growing that meat with taxpayer subsidies? If you are, you and Sam Donaldson have a lot in common.