Ellen,

think of how much money you need to live and then double or triple that. 
That will be how much you need to earn in an average year to build up 
reserves for the bad years, health insurance, a new truck, equipment, 
etc. Then you make a business plan: I get per hive ... pounds of honey, 
I can sell it for ... to ..., therefore I need ... hives.

But I would not go all in immediately. Do 40 hives in your spare time 
next year, establish a customer base for your honey. Then ask your 
employer if you could work 4 days a week. Tell him/her why. Everybody 
admires beekeepers and there is a good chance that he agrees. Then do 
100 hives and see if it is still fun. From there is is a much smaller 
step to have 500 hives

Jorg

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