Today the new beekeeper has many options when it comes to getting educated in beekeeping. Start with a book, Beekeeping for dummies is a very good choice for the beginner. On the web there are many sites that cover every aspect  of beekeeping from the hobbiest to the commercial. Remember that what you read on the web may be true and in most cases valid, but also may not be completly accurate for your local conditions. Several good sites have been added on our Beekehttp://anarchyapiaries.org/hivetools/node/14eping links page.
Another option is to take a class, the WSBA Apprentice beekeeper course is very good for the beginner, this course is offered by several sources, clubs, beekeeping supply stores and even local colleges. Cost can vary  but this course can be found for as little as $10. Some clubs supplement this course with hands on training in a club apiary.
The final option is to get a mentor, they will be able to guide you in your first year or two and can help prevent you from making costly errors. The other good reason for using a mentor is that they know how your local weather conditions affect the bees, advice from somebody in Florida might be good advice but completely irrelevant to somebody raising bees in Snohomish county.  Whichever way you decide to go the best possible start is to come to a club meeting and find out what is available in the area.

When should you start.
The window for actually aquiring bees in Snohomish county is relatively short, however there is a lot that can be done before you get bees so you could actually start any time of the year. In most cases new bees (packages)are going to be available about mid April, but you would want to look into ordering your bees in January or February, if you wait too long you may find all supplies are sold out. If you decide to buy a Nuc they will be available around the end of April and could be available until quite late in the year (depending on weather). Another option is to collect a swarm, in general these will start showing up in late June but again weather plays a big role in this and they could show up earlier. Whichever way you decide to go you do not want to start too late, your bees will need enough time to gather their food supplies and build up the hive to a size that can survive the winter.

What type of Bees should I get.
There are several stains of bees available,
Italian, Minnesota Hygenic, New world Carniolan hybrids, Russian, Buckfast and Old world carniolans.
Each has their own specific traits and you will find beekeepers have their favorites. In general Italians are the most readily available. Your choice of Bees will really decide on where you go to purchase them. Additionally one that does not get much press but may in fact be the most common is the "mutt" These are bees that have cross bred with other local bees and many believe that these local bees might be better than bringing in bees from out of state, after all they have survived and bred in our local conditions.
Check out our "Bees" section for a more detailed description.

What equipment and how much should I get.
This may be the most common question asked right after "how much will it cost" ?
It is often suggested that you start with at least two hives so that you can compare them against each other, but if you wanted you could start with just one or maybe even more. Your cost for bees seems to increase slightly each year but in general you can plan on about $100 for each package or Nuc (tax included) You may find them for less than this but beware of very cheap offerings (you get what you pay for).
You can spread the cost over the season by only buying what you need as you need it, however sometimes during the year some supplies get scarce and you dont want to be short on woodenware when you really need it. The following is a basic list of what you should get if starting out with two hives, wether you buy it all at once or spread it out is up to you.(check out the equipment page for descriptions)
2 Hive Stands
2 screened bottom boards
4 hive bodies (plus frames and foundation)
4 westerns (honey supers)(plus frames and foundation)
2 queen excluders
2 inner covers
2 telescoping covers
2 hive top feeders
Protective equipment (your choice)
Smoker
Hive tool

It is possible that you will not need the westerns in your first year, or in a really good year you may need more, better to have some on hand just in case.
Remember that you will want to paint all woodenware that is exposed to the elements (not the inside) for this just go to you local hardware store and from the "oops" shelf pick a can or two of exterior grade latex paint, give your woodenware a couple of good coats of paint or it will not last long in our weather.
As for cost, you can find a lot of variation buying on the web, but you will have to pay for shipping which can get costly and you will not see what quality you are getting until it arrives, or you could visit your local supplier and see what you are getting and pick their brains for advice at the same time, subscribe to a beekeeping magazine to see all the ads from various suppliers. If purchased all at once you could be looking at about $600 for everything on this list. If budget is your main concern check out the section on Top Bar Hives in the general interest area.

Be very cautious of buying used equipment from craigslist or somewhere similar, if you do want to buy used try to take an experienced club member with you to check for disease etc.

http://anarchyapiaries.org/hivetools/node/14
I got my bees, now what ?

Installing package bees is both easy and fun.
Many hobby beekeepers have documented installing package bees on their websites and blogs, youtube also has a large selection of videos showing this,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-GaOQvavnw