stantdm,
Bee keepers here generally have to wrap their hives with winter wrap and feed them to get them though until the spring bloom starts. I've never kept them in this climate, so that will be a new experience for me. Your beekeeper likely gets paid for putting his hives near almond, peach, apricot, etc orchards in Cali for the spring bloom up, which is over in the valley by May when he brings them back north. They winter just fine there, as oranges and palms live in the area so it freezes only occasionally and never really hard like here (have seen -25F at my place).
Geno
