Well crud,

I wish I would've known about this! Would've loved to have come out!

It would be interesting to see IF you could get people interested in keeping bees in a urban setting. We need all the bees we can get. The owner of the hive would bring the hive to the house and place it and the owner could watch the bees and kids learn something about bees etc. Maybe give the owner some honey at the end of the season. Maybe made smaller hives. Just something to think about. It could start in the local school or 4-H. JMO

http://www.henrycountybeekeepers.org/

Jeremy, we have a spring short course in February if you're interested. I'd be real glad to see you there. We also meet once a month on the second Tuesday at 7pm. Also there is a a group trying to get set up in Fayette county. Coweta has a well established club as well. The Tara association is the oldest in the area and meets in Forest Park. Spalding has a brand new club in the Potato Creek Association, of which I am also a director.

Now is the best time to get started. Winter is down time and the season starts early in late winter. Many want to start in the spring just to realize they are already behind the ball on it.
This is the better time to start because you can be doing all your study work, ordering of equipment and materials plus bees (currently both packages and nucs sell out six months in advance), building your boxes, and attending meetings in preparation.
If you're ready to get bees or just wanting to learn let me know and I'll be glad to help.

BTW, plan on two to start. Two is one and one is none.

But with no knowledge of bees or equipment, I'll probably just buy the start up gear and then build my own woodenware from there.

That kit includes this for a one colony/hive set up. I took the liberty to make notations on what you really need especially since you will be starting two colonies.

1 - Painted Assembled Telescoping Metal Cover (need two, easily made)
2 - Painted Assembled Hive Bodies w/frames & Plasticell foundation (hive bodies or deep supers, called deeps, are used to house the brood chamber. In this area most run only single deeps (per colony) so two will suffice though having a third handy is useful. If you intend to run double deeps then buy/make two per colony. Boxes are easily made from standard one by lumber or even plywood with nothing but a basic table saw or over arm saw. The frames with the multiple milling cuts cannot be made more economically than the less than a dollar per price when bought in bulk.)
1 - Inner Cover (need one per colony so two needed)
1 - Painted Assembled Bottom Board (one per colony two needed)
1 - Bee Brush (not needed, useful but a paint brush will suffice if you even use a brush, I don't)
1 - Metal 10" Hive Tool (yes, the basic hive tool is the only item that can be found locally off the shelf)
1 - Smoker 4"x7" Stainless Steel w/shield (a must have, always buy a quality stainless one not a cheap chinese fall apart import)
2 - 1 lb. of Smoker Fuel (NO, you can burn any dry organic matter. Pine straw is everywhere)
1 - Entrance Feeder (yes, to start eventually you'll need some way to top feed but not to start)
1 - Dadant Zipper Veil Suit (your choice, these most economical is the Mann Lake economy jacket the best is the Ultrabreeze beesuit)
1 - Dadant Plastic Helmet (no, if you go with the Mann Lake or other style that has a Sheriff style veil)
1 - Economy Leather Gloves (YES, all new beeks need to wear gloves at all times)
1 - Hive and Honey Bee Book (good book but not needed, definitely a recommended read though)
1 - First Lessons in Beekeeping Book (YES, a must read for all beeks. Dr Delaplane can be an arse but he knows his stuff.)
1 - 1 year subscription to the American Bee Journal (really nice but can be over the head of the new guy. I won't say no but not a requirement.)
1 - Medications Brochure (nice but all the supply houses pass out handouts for free)

Also, buying painted equipment means not only paying for the paint but the labor to paint AND ASSEMBLE since only assembled equipment can be painted. Buying unassembled equipment saves costs plus can be shipped in smaller boxes. Buying locally saves shipping.
Buster isn't the only supplier. Brutz English is down in Barnesville and there is the Fat Bee Man up in Lula, one down around Macon and Rossman Apiaries down in Moultrie (I highly recommend his cypress woodenware as it's all I use other than what I make myself).