User:Tasmanianbeekeepers/sandbox

= Leatherwood Honey = 'Leatherwood Honey' is a unique and exquisite mono floral honey variety produced in the pristine leatherwood forests of Tasmania. It is celebrated for its distinct flavour profile and numerous health benefits.

Tasmanian beekeepers and honey producers reported a farmgate value of $7.4 million in the 2017- 2018 season with production estimated to be 406 tonnes of honey sold with an overall price of $18.23/kg. Of that, 173 tonnes (43%) being Leatherwood honey, which was estimated to be worth $2.5 million and fetching an average price of $14.45/kg (DPIPWE 2019).The Tasmanian State Government set a target to sustainably grow agriculture to a farmgate value of $10 billion by 2050. The honey bee industry, though honey production and its associated pollination services, are pivotal to achieving this. As Leatherwood is the mainstay floral source for honey in Tasmania, the viability of the beekeepers is closely linked to the value of this local honey in the national and international market. To this end, studies reported here have been established to elucidate the characteristics and value attributes of Leatherwood honey to protect it against adulteration and to assist marketing narratives.

Producers
Tasmania's relatively untouched natural environment provides an ideal setting for honey production. The island's clean air and water contribute to the production of high-quality honey free from pollutants and contaminants. This pristine environment also supports the health and productivity of bee populations.

Tasmania’s natural environment allows artisan producers to harvest Leatherwood Honey, the most unique honey globally.

Tasmanian Leatherwood Honey Producers include:

Exporters

Australian Honey Products HACCP, BQual, HALA, TAHG, Organic Certification OFC 0500, Export No 1856

Blue Hills Honey

Heritage Honey

R. Stephens Tasmanian Honey BQual. Certified Organic, Registration Number 107

Tasmanian Honey Company

Non-Exporting

BE Pure Honey Tasmania

Bruny Island Honey

Grumpy Bee Registration Number 156

Honey Tasmania

Melita Honey Farm

Miellerie Honey

Sherwood Hill Honey Council approved honey extraction/packing room, Registration Number 776

Tasmanian Honey Store

West-Bee Honey Registration Number 323

Identification
Leatherwood honey is produced from the nectar of the Eucryphia lucida tree, commonly known as the Tasmanian leatherwood tree. The nectar collected by honeybees is transformed into honey with a distinct floral aroma, a pale amber colour, and a unique taste profile. Leatherwood Honey is defined on the following criteria:

a. Floral Source: Leatherwood honey must be sourced from the nectar of Eucryphia lucida, also known as the leatherwood tree, with a minimum required percentage of nectar originating from this tree (e.g., Pollen count 80%).

b. Geographical Origin: Leatherwood honey comes from the pristine leatherwood forests of Tasmania, with defined geographical zones including the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and the Tarkine regions.

c. Honey Composition: Leatherwood honey should adhere to honey codex requirements, meeting the established standards for moisture content, pH levels, and specific gravity, ensuring its quality and purity.

Honey Codex Requirements:
To meet international quality standards, Leatherwood honey should conform to the Codex Alimentarius  guidelines for honey. These requirements encompass aspects such as moisture content, sugar composition, and various quality parameters. Compliance with these standards not only guarantees product quality but also ensures global acceptance and facilitates trade.

Flavour
Leatherwood honey is distinctive. Sommeliers define the flavour as clean and fresh with notes of balsamic and a lightly spicy finish – a perfect accompaniment on a cheese platter or combined in sauces to accompany seasonal vegetables. When Leatherwood flavour is measured using an e-tongue, compared to other honeys, it is distinct, having high umami and a pleasant bitterness that continues into the aftertaste.

Terroir
Eucryphia lucida is endemic to Tasmania and grows in the temperate rainforests at sub-alpine to low altitudes and thrives in a cool to warm, wet environment. It is a tall tree and produces prolific white blossoms of 2 – 3 cm diameters, which have a high nectar flow for 4 – 6 weeks in late summer producing best when between 100 and 150 years of age. It provides viability to the Tasmanian honey industry as the consistency and volume of nectar flow is awesome.

Eucryphia lucida trees produce a prolific show of white blossoms, and to attract flower visitors, secrete copious amounts of nectar from the base of the flower which the honey bees thrive on to make Leatherwood honey.

This rare species is endemic to Tasmania – confined to the wild, temperate rainforest regions. The trees flower late in the summer for a month each year. So, in the dying days of summer the honey bees produce an ochre-yellow, golden-coloured honey.

Production
Only skilled beekeepers can manage their honey bees to keep abreast with the Leatherwood nectar production.

To be organised for the short flowering window, it takes a year of planning and preparation. The healthier the hive, the greater the nectar harvest ripening into honey in the super hive box.

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References