The key to the gene pool issue is to bring some new queen stock every year. Each yard, has 2 types of queen stock (ie Saskatraz, Carnolian, BC Mutts or a hybrid in my Yukon raised queens). The challenge is most reputable queen supplier shipping in remote locations have minimum order sizes. Usually 10 @ $50-75. We pool order, we have folks driving in from 5-7hrs out to pick-up their queens. Mating works great as you know what you are getting "a queen breeders mating dream yard (no other drones in the area)". All my colonies survive the winter and usually have low mite numbers (>90%).

The other factor is forage limitation on number of colonies per location (or beekeepers available time) and queen shipping stress events / availability. 

As a beekeeper, one must learn to adapt and work with what they have. The true definition of a sustainable apiary. Mine is: Healthy bees, grow own numbers, maintain healthy gene pool with desired traits (queen purchase + raising own).

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