Finding, or "searching" for a place to put a few hives, is but one step that you should be considering.
Is the place I get a good honey site? Is there chemicals and pesticides to deal with? Is it good for me, but also the bees? And so on.
A few points....
*Working farms, orchards, and commercial operations are sometimes NOT the best places to keep bees, when it come to colony health and honey production. If it was not for a pollination fee, I would never have bees on sites such as these. To much non-nectar plantings, mowing, chemicals, etc. If your bees will have to deal with these issues, and the farmer is benefitting...then get paid for it!
*For a good honey site, seek out the "professional" type people (doctors, etc.) who bought a small farm for a few horses, etc. They usually have open fields that bees love all year long. These people are somewhat open to the bee problems and many times welcome the added "value" to their self claimed "estate".
*Contact the county gardening association to see when the next meeting is being held. Most garden clubs have plenty of open houses and meetings open for the public. Having bees on a master gardeners property, is ideal. Many are also in tune with environmental concerns and are sympathetic to not just honey bees but all native pollinators.
*Post a bulletin or talk (go there) to someone at the county Ag office. This is a place where many groups meet, information on various associations and other information is posted. Is there a bluebird association, a bird watching group, etc? These are the nature loving landowners you should be talking too!
* And if you really want to get creative....see if you can get a list of the "CREP" farms or those in preserved status. I have several bee mating yards on preserved farms. Hundreds of acres of
un-farmed pasture lands. No better than places like that.
Good luck!