harvey, you will find a balance. just be willing to re-evaluate what you are doing as you go.
i keep horses. in the wild, they don't get their feet done or get wormed. they don't get vitamins and no one grooms them. because i choose to keep them, i am responsible for their care.
i keep bees. in the wild there would not be so many hives in one area, nor would anyone take honey from them and try to keep them from swarming. because i keep them and take from them, they sometimes need my attention.
you can read books and talk to people, but much of what you learn will come from trial, error, and loss. you'll never learn all that there is to know, but you will get a feel for things as you go along.