Hello Tim

 There are no easy solutions to this pollination problem, but here's my take on a few. We Calif. keepers can't supply all the bees needed ,so other keepers from other states are needed, that's not all bad, as some of us Calif. keepers send them East during the summer.
 But my head spins when I hear keepers going through a couple thousand hives a week, maybe they have an army for a work force.
 As to the investment of trucking, yard fees, wear and tear on ALL the equipment, I think I would spend time in Nov, Dec, & part of Jan feeding pollen & syrup  and mite controls, then you would not feel so exhausted. 
     As to the third generation beekeeper, it sounds like somebody's been asleep at the wheel, drop and go days are over. No longer can you bring bees to Calif in early Nov. and expect them to be ok in mid Jan. But if you charge the growers $150 or so, you should be able to spend a little time and $$$ in them. If you had, I don't think you would have found yourself in this spot.
I don't mean to ruffle anybody's feathers, but beekeeping has change 180 degrees in recent years.
 After the Almonds,  I shake bees for out-of-staters, 15,000 pounds worth, to fill up their dead outs. I hope they continue to take the winter off.

 Keith

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