I have been meaning to study up a bit on this as all of the bee keepers in the family have passed on years ago and I thought that I would love to take their place
The last time I even helped a little with the hives was back in the mid '70s and I have forgotten most of what I learned. You make it sound a lot easier than they did, but there are groups to be a member of now and that would make the big difference: being able to tap into that knowledge-base.
I love the idea of doing it like my Grandmother did: right out in the front of the side yard in the center of a shrub and perennial bed. The 3 hives couldn't be seen until you were within a few feet of them, yet they were well protected by a good, fenced yard and Grandmom could keep her eye on them. The cousins that had hives had all manner of animals attacking their hives as they all kept them in their fields and gardens.
