Farming became Nephi's way of life as he followed in his father's footsteps, although his curiosity for beekeeping never ebbed. Several of his farming friends in the Cache Valley had colonies of bees and he would watch as they worked with their hives. In the fall of 1894, Nephi convinced his father to let him trade five bags of leftover oats for seven colonies of bees. From these seven colonies grew a large-scale business that has passed on through the Miller family for three generations.

Nephi inadvertently invented a new method of beekeeping in an attempt to avoid the heavy loss of bees from the freezing winter weather. While on a trip to Southern California, initially to gather more information on processing beeswax, he noticed bees still gathering nectar even though it was December. He realized the increased production of honey that could be had if he were to transport his bees to sunny California during the Utah winters. This he did. In the winter of 1908, the first trainload of bees was sent north on a "test flight." This is how he became known for his "traveling bees."

Nephi E. Miller was a great pioneer in the beekeeping industry. He was the first beekeeper to produce a million-pound crop of honey, yet he did not hoard his trade secrets and knowledge; he shared it all with anyone interested. It was his desire for everyone to be successful and prosperous. He was a smart businessman, a good example for all to follow.