A hobby that you can't or don't want to invest time in???? I wonder why you would pick beekeeping? These folks who have hives that they are not doing much or anything to, have experience with bees. They can tell you more about what is going on with their hive from the outside, than you as a beginner will be able to grasp after a full inspection. Nothing against beginners, we all are at some point. I would suggest that you might see if you can locate a local "keeper" who would be willing to place a hive or two on your place, and let you look over their shoulder when you have a little time, and they are doing some maintenance. Even if you paid them $50.00 to leave one or two in place for the year, it would be a lot cheaper than buying the bees and equipment only to have them die out without knowing why. Then again, you might get lucky and have the one in a hundred that would survive indefinitely on their own.