Ok, first, yes you do need some sort of tray or something to keep the jars from sitting directly on the pot bottom. Some use a folded t-towel but many options are available - cake rack, inverted jar rings tied together to form a shelf, any aluminum cake/pie pan with holes punched in it that will fit in the bottom of the pan, etc. But a space of some sort that the water can move freely through is required. You will also need a lid for the pot.

Second, yes, buying the Ball Blue Book is the best place to start. The best online source is NCHFP (linked below) as their guidelines and recipes form the base for all other publications.

There are tons of recipes available online but unfortunately the majority of them are untested, unapproved recipes so done at your own risk. When new to canning we here consistently recommend using only tested/approved recipes and info sources. There are many discussions here about which books/sites are approved and which should be avoided.

Third, without a pressure canner the only canning you will be able to do is jams/jellies, some fruits, plain tomatoes, and pickled foods. Pressure canning is required for everything else.

Dave

PS: and welcome to the forum. :)

NCHFP - How to BWB Can foods

NCHFA - Pickled Beets

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP

Thanks. That'll be a huge help. I appreciate the input. I'm not familiar with pressure canning or what additional canning options that with bring but I will have to look into it.

Welcome to the forum!
Dave's advice is spot on as usual.

I would add that you might look up your local extension office and see if they offer any classes. It should be under the County listings for your area.

Just jump right in and ask specific questions here as well.
The search function on gardenweb leaves much to be desired, but you can always use Google or other search engine and specify "gardenweb" in addition to the information you're looking for.

Again, welcome and I hope to see you up and canning soon!

Deanna