I am not a fan of bees but keep wanting to get into beekeeping
You have one of the best resources for knowledge in your backyard. Yes, I am a bit biased since it is "our" association, but they were one of, if not the first, clubs that started w/ sustainable beekeeping. Before joining the club, we had researched, read, watched YouTube videos and the majority of what we found was that beekeepers started all over each year by buying new bees every spring. W/ the Coweta Beekeeping Method, we learn to raise out own queens and hope to sustain our bees through the winter. You are more than welcome to come by the house anytime and we can discuss/show you our bees.
Incidentally, we worked the bees last Sunday, I don't have protective equipment (I am a haver not a keeper), so I worked them in shorts and t-shirt. No stings. No, I don't encourage this type of reckless beekeeping, but it works for me. You get to "know" your bees and they will quickly let you know if they are too hot to work that day.