Excerpts

from the INTRODUCTION Harvest is a practical, inspirational, and seasonal guide to living with an edible landscape. In this book, you'll find ways to make your garden more productive and enjoyable with a variety of projects using unexpected and often well-known garden plants, some of which may already be growing in your garden. Discover the surprising usefulness of petals and leaves, roots, seeds, and fruit. Turn turmeric root into a natural dye and calendula into medicinal oil. Use lilacs to create sweet-smelling cream and apricots to create a facial mask. Use crabapple branches to create stunning floral arrangements, oregano flowers to infuse vinegar, and edible chrysanthemum to enliven a salad. The plants in this book are not only remarkably useful, but they make for stunning additions anywhere in your garden. You'll find something exciting to harvest and create from one growing season to the next. *** POMEGRANATE MARGARITA Classic cocktail meets holiday tradition, compliments of Stefani's mom, Garna, who took the margarita and dressed it with a splash of festive red. Whether you are making a single glass or a pitcher, the ratio of the ingredients stays the same. Use more lime juice if you prefer a tart margarita or more pomegranate juice if you prefer it sweeter.  MAKES 4 DRINKS  1 cup of your favorite tequila  1 cup triple sec  ½ cup fresh pomegranate juice (from about 2 pomegranates)  ½ cup fresh lime juice  Large-grained salt such as kosher or flake salt  Lime slice  Ice cubes  Handful of pomegranate seeds, for garnish    Combine the tequila, triple sec, and both juices in a pitcher and stir thoroughly. Pour the salt onto a small plate. Rub the lime slice around the rim of each glass, and then dip the rims in the salt. Pour the margarita over ice in the salt-rimmed glasses. For a seasonal festive touch, garnish with the pomegranate seeds.    ***   HERB & HIVE LIP BALM    It's fun to make your own lip balm from the garden. And if you keep bees, this is also a great way to use your beeswax.  MAKES 3 TO 5 TINS  3 tablespoons calamintha-infused olive oil  1 tablespoon beeswax   Place the calamintha olive oil and beeswax into a heatproof glass measuring cup with a pour spout. Fill a saucepan with a couple inches of water. Set the measuring cup into the saucepan and gently warm over medium-low heat until the oil and beeswax melt together. Stir occasionally to ensure that the beeswax melts completely.  Carefully remove the measuring cup from the pan. Wipe off the water from the outside of the measuring cup so that no water gets into your lip balm while pouring it into its final containers. Pour the lip balm into containers (such as small tins), and secure the lids. Store in a cool place for up to 3 months. Excerpted from Harvest: Unexpected Projects Using 47 Extraordinary Garden Plants by Stefani Bittner, Alethea Harampolis All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.