Hello Everyone!
 
My wife called a local(sort of - less than an hour away) peach orchard
about picking peaches.  While she was on the phone she struck up a
conversation with the lady at the orchard.  They talked about all sorts of
things and got around to bees.  The lady at the orchard said they haven't 
seen many bees since the mites came and she thinks it's hurting their fruit
set.  She asked that my wife bring me to the orchard so that we could
discuss pollination for peaches.
 
Questions:
1)Do peaches benefit from bee pollination?  I've heard yes and no.
 
2)If so, what concentration per tree should I put in an orchard?
 
3)What is the longest manageable distance for taking care of bees for a
hobbyist/sideliner?
 
I have almost reached what I think is the maximum numbers of hives for my 
only real bee yard.  I've been thinking that I need to find another
suitable site.  So I'm not just looking for free peaches.  I want another 
palce to keep bees.  Hopefully there are other plants and trees that offer
nectar in the area.
 
Ted Wout
Red Oak, TX, USA