Executive Summary:
- The amount of honey bees produce has much to do with their environment and care.
- The average beehive produces 30 to 60 pounds of honey yearly, but they could make up to 100 pounds of this delicious nectar with a strong hive in the right environment.
- Manukora employs ethical beekeeping to ensure our bees have the freedom to do their work, in an antibiotic and pesticide-free environment, with enough honey supply to get them through the winter months.
Bees worldwide are under constant threat due to pesticides, pests, drought, habitat destruction, nutrition deficiency, air pollution, global warming, and more. While some of these causes are natural, most are due to human action and lack of environmental concern.
If done correctly (as nature intends), honey production can be done without harming the bees or the environment.
Take our own forests right here in NZ as an example — New Zealand is known for having some of the healthiest bee stock in the world, and we here at Manukora have ethical beekeeping to thank.
Our bees are dedicated to their craft, and with Manuka honey considered a rarity, how are they making enough to keep up with demand? Well, you may be surprised at how efficient these clever insects are and how the right environment and care can result in heaping amounts of this delicious and unique nectar.
What Can Ethical Beekeeping Accomplish?
Honeybees aren’t just responsible for all the honey on the planet; they’re the backbone behind 80 percent of pollination worldwide. For every pollinator you see, chances are they’ve already pollinated around 300 flowers and plants that day alone.
While bees are known for their honey, they’re also the reason we enjoy the delicious nuts, fruits, and veggies we love, not to mention the trees and other greenery they pollinate.
While the rest of the world's bee population is decreasing rapidly, New Zealand beekeepers, especially the ones working with us here at Manukora, take extra-special care of our bees.
While incredibly hard-working and dedicated, bees are fragile creatures and must be given copious amounts of care. A bee’s environment affects their honey and how much they can make.
If they aren’t in a pure environment with a steady supply of nectar and pollen, that will show when it comes to the amount of honey produced. Luckily, Manukora considers each of these variables before placing our hives.
Does It Matter Where Bees Live?
Where bees live is vital to honey output and overall quality. Without a pure, flourishing environment, the bees can’t flourish.
We strategically place our bees in the most remote regions of the New Zealand forest in an environment known for its copious Manuka flowers and the Leptospermum scoparium (Manuka tea tree) nectar within them.
While all genuine Manuka honey has its benefits, not all are created equal. The highest quality Manuka honey comes from a region in the New Zealand forest called “The Golden Triangle.”
This unique section of the forest offers an endless supply of nectar and pollen for our bees to work with. The purity of this region is one reason we can uphold the health of our bees and their hives without the intervention of antibiotics, sprays, or human-made industrial chemicals.
We believe beekeeping should be kept all-natural — the bees know what they’re doing.
Why Are Manukora’s Bees So Healthy?
New Zealand is home to some of the world's happiest and healthiest bee stock, not by coincidence. As the New Zealand bee population has seen immense growth over the last century, Manukora strives for continuing sustainable growth.
In New Zealand, pesticide use is less common than in other developed countries, and Manukora’s beekeeping practices are held to an even higher standard. At Manukora, hive transportation is infrequent, but when done, it’s done carefully — between short distances to avoid mixing hives and honeybees.
Our bees are also healthier thanks to little to no human intervention — the bees are trusted to do their jobs. At Manukora, we never prematurely dehydrate our honey; instead, we allow the bees to finish their process, then we always leave enough supply to get them through the colder months.
We allow our bees to work in harmony with nature, even if it means waiting a little longer to enjoy their gifts.
How Much Honey Do Bees Make?
As we said, the amount of honey bees make has much to do with their environment and care. The honey produced can be considerable if bees have all the necessary tools to thrive.
The average beehive produces around 30 to 60 pounds of honey each year, but they could make up to 100 pounds of this delicious nectar with a strong hive in the right environment.
Constraints like weather, pests, predators, and poor beekeeping practices can all affect honey output from a hive.
Bees can be quite the over-achievers, and the honeybees responsible for the uniquely delicious Manuka honey produce much more than they need to survive, meaning they don’t mind sharing with us.
We’re grateful for any Manuka honey we can get, and we make sure not to take too much. Bees don’t make honey in the winter, so they rely on their honey reserves as food during the colder months. The last thing we want is for our bees to go hungry, so we leave plenty for them to enjoy.
Is Manuka Honey Better Than Regular Honey?
All honey is inherently delicious, but that’s not to say some types of honey aren’t more beneficial than others. While you may eat honey solely for its sweet taste, others consume honey to reap the amazing wellness benefits different types of honey have to offer.
Regarding health and honey, Manuka honey offers some of the best results. Why? Because Manuka honey in its raw form is packed with beneficial compounds that aren’t found in any other honey.
On top of that, unlike your average grocery store honey, Manuka honey is left raw to help retain all of its beneficial compounds, which would otherwise be lost to the high-heat refining process called pasteurization that many commercial honey producers utilize to extend shelf life and keep color and texture consistent.
What Is Manuka Honey?
We’ve spent time praising Manuka honey, but if you’ve never heard of this thick, dark, and creamy substance, you may want a little more information.
Genuine Manuka honey derives from New Zealand and is known for its high levels of Methylglyoxal (MGO), a naturally occurring compound found in the Manuka tree that possesses antibacterial properties. The higher the MGO level, the more potent the natural cleansing properties of the honey.
Each Manukora Manuka honey product undergoes rigorous testing to verify the levels of MGO, Leptosperin, and other indicators used by the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to authenticate genuine Manuka honey.
Every Manukora product is tested to ensure you receive the highest quality Manuka. We look for the following factors in testing our products:
- MGO levels
- Leptosperin
- Project Non-GMO verified
- Glyphosate residue-free (herbicide)
- Monofloral
Our Manuka Honey Is Traceable
All genuine Manuka honey comes from New Zealand. We take the extra steps by placing our hives in the best possible place for optimal honey production, but you don’t have to take our word for it.
Each of our products comes with a QR code that offers endless information about your honey. By scanning the code, you can see exactly which hive your Manuka came from. You can even meet the beekeeper responsible for the honey on your spoon.
We believe that you deserve to know exactly what you are buying, and can feel good about supporting ethical beekeeping.
Our Manuka Honey Is Ethical
We take pride in the production of our Manuka honey. Not only do our honey products help you, but they help the bees. Ethical beekeeping allows our bees to work diligently with Mother Nature to produce plenty of honey for their tribe and yours.
At Manukora, we take special care of our bees, which shows in our honey’s quality and taste. We believe in protecting the bees at all costs, which is why we never rush their natural process, and say no to poor beekeeping practices like frame dumping.
Our Manuka Honey Is Raw
Honey is very sensitive to heat, and when honey is processed and pasteurized, the intense heating and cooling process affects the integrity of the honey’s wellness properties.
At Manukora, we keep our honey in its purest and rawest form, ensuring you get every ounce of liquid gold you deserve.
Honey Galore
When bees are cared for and protected, it will show in their honey. Healthy, happy bees produce the most honey, and with plenty of honey to go around, they have no problem sharing with their beekeepers.
Looking to learn more about bees and honey? Explore Manukora’s blog here, or if you’re ready to try our authentic, unique Manuka honey for yourself, browse our different Manuka honey options here.
Sources:
Save the Bees | Greenpeace USA
Factors influencing organic honey production level and marketing | PMC
Antibacterial activity of Manuka honey and its components: An overview | PMC
