Not at all.(big grin) Five is just right as you'll learn what normal is fast by comparing them to each other but it won't be overwhealming. Also, $200 is a GOOD DEAL!

Stupid? Absolutely not! You got a great deal, and if your friend who sold you the hives is willing and able to mentor you, you are off to a great start.
My husband is a novice beekeeper, we got our first two hives this past spring. It has been one of the most interesting, invigorating and educational experiences of both our lives.
We congratulate you on fulfilling your dream. If you want to share experiences, questions and happenings, feel free to e-mail us. We aren't experts, but we sure are enthusiastic!

Heck no!! Not stupid at all. You will enjoy them and then when you get yout first honey from your OWN bees you know you have done the right thing. I am 72 (Female) and have two hives and love them. Not looking forward to the day I have to give them up. I say GO FOR IT !!!!

Thanks folks,I am sure I will have lots of questions, before I feel at ease with these things. One good thing I have read is, the stings help arthritis. May be sticking my hands in the hives just for that.The truck load of things I got, included a extractor, that looks like I could put on the antique road show.Real heavy duty gears and crank, could last a hundred years, mounted on about a forty gallon tank. Not very modern at all, no electric motor. Hand crank only, but I am thinking, about bringing it up to the 21st century.

"Think I am a stupid old man?"

NO but I bet A LOT of your friends think so lol but when you have honey for them they will think different.

Check out
beesource.com
lots of keepers there.

YOU Go, YOUNG AT HEART OLD MAN! What a good post post to lighten the dark of mid winter. I hope you have a great time. Often I;ve heard half frames are better for us older gardeners (younger ones too) because they are much more manageable....half the weight... when loaded with honey. Figure out if you have half or full frames, and consider the question.

What do you more experienced beekeepers think about this question?

idabean

I think rolling of the eyes is a sign of good health in woman. The silence part is good too, lol. Congrats on the bees!

Well, I'm 56 going on my sixth season and loving almost every minute of it

The literary character Sherlock Holmes retired and raised bees in the country. I wouldn't call him "Stupid"!

$200 for five hives!? I would jump on that deal, too.

I did come across an even better deal last year. My parent's neighbors told me that someone used to keep bees on their place, but he has not been around for a few years and that I could have the hives for free if I thought they were salvageable. When they showed them to me, I noticed that the hives were in pretty bad shape-they had holes in them, were not lined up properly, the bottom boards were rotted to the point that the entrance would not let any bees in or out. But two hives had bees! The third one was tipped over. It is a good thing there were holes in the hives, as they could not get in or out of the bottom entrances. They did not know there were bees in them, as they were west of their yard in the area they stored farm equipment and did not pay attention to them. I guess free bees is an even better deal than cheap bees. Another bonus is that these are what I call "survivor bees", meaning they are making it on their own without help or treatments. So far, they are doing fine, despite our unusually harsh winter here in Nebraska. Some small beekeepers I know lost all of their bees this winter. I myself lost two colonies that were packages bought last spring. But the survivors and the swarm I caught are all doing well.