Manuka Honey Harvest from New Zealand’s Mount Taranaki
March 8, 2023
Manuka Honey is one of the most beneficial forms of Honey in the world. But the Manuka plant (Leptospermum scoparium) only blooms for around six weeks per year.
So in December, during Manuka’s brief apparition, we gathered our beehives and set off to the remote foothills of New Zealand’s Mount Taranaki. The native bushland and valleys that surround Mt. Taranaki are wild, raw, and untouched. Here, timing is crucial. The coastal mountain will only flower with Manuka (native to New Zealand), for just six weeks. So helicopters are a vital part of the harvesting operation, as they allow beekeepers to access secluded wilderness areas that simply cannot be reached otherwise.
Our hives are dropped off by helicopter one by one, and then we let the bees work their magic. With the closest road being hours away, the bees forage on native, isolated forests. This unique, volcanic location results in some of the purest, most pristine Honey in the world — free from any pesticides and herbicides.
The remote landscape, combined with the antibacterial nature of the Manuka plant, results in a medicinal-grade, highly active honey independently tested to contain a whopping 829 mg/kg of MGO along with other potent phytocompounds.
The higher the Methylglyoxal (MGO) content, the higher the antibacterial properties. The MGO Certification is scientific, precise, and transparent. Our Manuka's 829+ MGO rating exceeds most by far, so just one daily spoonful acts as an effective natural remedy for internal immune support.
And not only that. This raw, natural resource ranges in use. The Manuka bush has a long, rich history with the Māori, who have revered it for its versatility throughout time. This Honey is perfect for the kitchen to add a herbaceous, crystallized sweetness to your meals or drinks, as a daily spoonful for gut & immune support, or as skincare to purify, deeply hydrate and soothe irritation.
Our Pure Manuka Honey from Mount Taranaki is the result of an entire ecosystem at play, and one of the many reasons why it’s some of the rarest in the world.