Millennium HONEY BEES
...back to basics.
An old book on the subject says that beekeeping in eastern Oregon didn't pay until watered crops were planted around Hermiston in 1888. Not a paradise for honeybees, but not without prospects.
John Day Honey
The honeybees in John Day are kept using organic methods - no beekeeping drugs or chemicals are used. The honey is as pure as the nectar sources.
Local Niches
Honeybees forage widely and do well if they find high diversity and clean running water.
Knowingly, the John Day honeybees are exposed to pesticides. Too much of it will weaken them so they can't produce honey or survive winter. The object is to keep it minimal.
Local help and knowledge is needed to find the best places. After that, it's a matter of setting the bees in morning sun, afternoon shade and out of the wind.
Seeds Of Forage
One idea discussed with landowners is planting honeybee forage along fencelines to catch water. If the right plants can be identified and seeded at the right time, it would help the honeybees - indeed all pollinators - get through the drought of July and August.