I wouldn't want to tell anyone they're not allergic to bees, but it is very rare to be "allergic to bees". Most people think that they're allergic to bees because they were stung when they were young, and had a bad reaction. I was stung by a bee when I was five, and my hand swelled up like a baseball glove. (And, like most, I'm not even sure it was a bee. It was actually more likely a yellow jacket, since we had them all over. The honeybee always gets blamed, though.)
But that's a normal "local" reaction. The body is sending histamine to the area to combat the venom, and the activity causes swelling, and later itching. After enough stings, you stop reacting so severely. I was stung fifteen times this weekend, and two hours later, I couldn't tell you where.
The reaction you have to watch out for is the allergic reaction, which involves headache, fever, nausea, swelling of the face and lips, anaphylaxis, affecting the respiritory system, and inhibiting breathing. It is rare to have this type of reaction but of course, it is not unheard of. If you're worried about it, talk to your doctor.
Here is one (of many) sites on the subject:
http://www.entandallergy.com/allergy/bee_sting/bee_sting.htmlFor my first year, I wore the gear though, and didn't get stung at all when I did. Having bees near the house wasn't a problem either, because they are docile when foraging away from the hive. And since my hives are forty feet away, there are rarely bees in the yard at all. Bees usually fly up, go for a quarter of a mile, and set down. Foraging too close to the hive could give their location away to predators.
There are a couple of cheap ways to go, as far as suits go. The disposable painter jumpsuits they sell at the hardware store are around $5.00, and I used one for half a season. After it started tearing, I tried using an expensive bee suit, but it was really hot and sweaty! So, I started just tucking my jeans into my socks, and wearing a long shirt with rubber bands around the cuffs. Slap on a $25 veil and hat, and I'm good to go. If you want gloves, get some thin leather work gloves and put your sleeves around them, so no bees can sneak past.
It sounds like you're a homesteader. If you are, beekeeping should be right up your alley, if you can either avoid getting stung, or learn not to mind so much! Good luck!