I’m feeling pretty prepared! I took a workshop on bee keeping with Ross Conrad at the NOFA NY conference this winter. Also took a two day intensive organic bee keeping workshop at The Commons in Brooklyn with the guys from Honey Bee Lives. Plus I’ve read some books and watched some you tube videos. Plus Verena had some hives at her old farm.
Last weekend we finished assembling the frames (where the bees will build out honeycomb); this weekend we made a weatherproofing stain by soaking propolis (an extremely antimicrobial glue-like substance bees make from plant resins) in grain alcohol. It smells like powdered sugar donuts. 
