Yesterday:

James & Martha Garber were married, June 16, 1955. After renting a crop farm in Elizabethtown, PA they purchased a farm in Mount Joy, PA in 1961. Farming and raising 6 children was their life and joy. In 1979 James, Martha and their son Phil purchased an adjoining farm and James M. Garber & Sons (JMG) was born.

After building 2 poultry buildings we continued to farm. The farming operation grew and changed many times over during the next 25 years - raising hogs, poultry, steers and crops, including corn, soybeans, wheat, barley & tomatoes.

In 1988, James & Martha's son Roger purchased Martha's shares in JMG to become a partner.

Manufacturing our own feed for our poultry and hogs was a way for us to operate more efficiently. As we produced more feed, we needed to haul more feed ingredients. This lead to the purchase of our first truck tractor - a 1974 cab-over Freightliner. The truck needed to produce revenue to pay for the major repairs it needed, including a rear and transmission, so we started to haul grain for Cargill in Marietta, PA.

Later we realized we needed a larger trailer so that we could have a larger pay load and receive greater revenue per load. We found a large dump trailer, however the owner also wanted to sell us the "PA-PUC" operating authority. We did not really want or need this authority to haul the Cargill grain. However, after some negotiations we did purchase the trailer and the "PA-PUC" operating authority.

About a month after we transferred the operating authority to haul wheat middlings, which is a by- product when flour is made, we received a call from Mike Meyers in New York asking if we had the authority to haul midds. We confirmed that we did and he informed us that he would have loads for us to haul from Martins Creek, PA back to Lancaster, PA. That was the start of a long term friendship and business relationship.

In 1990 James, Phil and Roger established Garber Farms, Inc. (GFI) so that we could keep accurate records for our new "Haul for Hire - Trucking Company" and the slogan "You Call . We Haul" was created.

We were one of the first carriers in Pennsylvania to own a "walking floor" trailer. These very large trailers allowed us to haul a "legal" load of midds because they are very light and bulky. As GFI received more orders to haul midds and many other agriculture ingredients, including mulch, we found we needed more help.

We started with 1 driver in 1990 and our company grew to 8 company drivers and 8 owner operators by 1995. These explosive growth years were exciting. Our first owner operator Wendell Buckwalter is still hauling with us today!

In 1995 Phil and Roger established Garber Brokerage, Inc. (GBI) as a transportation brokerage company. We found that we had additional loads being offered to GFI, and at the same time we had contacts with other carriers that needed loads. Prior to GBI being incorporated we could not put the two relationships together for legal and insurance reasons. With the establishment of GBI we could now take extra loads from customers and assign them to carriers that needed the loads. GBI had found its niche.

In 1998 Phil & Roger purchased their father's shares of JMG & GFI. For the next three years JMG had some challenging times financially caused by depressed egg prices, droughts, and other factors.

As GFI & GBI grew we noticed our focus shifting away from JMG. In late 2005 we decided it was time to discontinue farming. On March 4, 2006 we had a farm equipment liquidation sale, selling all of our farm equipment. At this time we also began renting our farmland out to a friend. We did decide, however, to continue to raise pullets and store grain for others.

After the sale we began converting the 2 original poultry buildings into large storage units and warehouse space. At this time we established Garber Self Storage (GSS) to handle the accounting for this new endeavor.

We are very thankful to our parents for their integrity and "Lancaster County" work ethic. We are also thankful to God for His continued direction in our lives, businesses, employees and families. Our employees definitely helped us to get where we are today!

Today:

Today GFI employs more then 40 full time and part time employees. This includes more then 20 full time truck drivers. We also supply jockey services for one of our customers with a 24 hour 5 day program. We have a full service shop department that is managed by Jeff Nolt, a 15 plus year employee. Our dispatch department, consisting of four dispatchers, is managed by Ryan Garber who is Phil's son and our 3rd generation. The office includes a very capable and competent staff of long term employees.

GBI supplies loads for many different carriers and owner operators. Currently we have a number of regular owner operators that we work with every day.

GSS has exceeded our projected occupancy rate and we have rental customers that include RV, coach and boat owners, sub-contractors, self employed individuals and hobbyists with cars and tractors that need stored. Our warehouse space has given us the ability to offer a value added service to our transportation customers.

JMG continues to raise pullets and store grain for others in our facilities.

Tomorrow:

We are excited as we establish a management team of capable employees and friends that will give us direction for the future. As our transportation logistics firm grows and expands we cannot say exactly where we will be in 5, 10 or 15 years. However, as we look to the future we are excited to see where God will lead us.

Thanks for letting us tell our "story".

Respectfully,

Phil & Cyndi Garber
Roger & Patti Garber
James & Martha Garber