Bighands

Good to hear It depends on your moral views.I always tell my customers about the different ratas we have and label accordingly.The only problem is we do not get enough white rata to be pure, it is norm,ally a blend with everything else out there flowering.

Why not ?

Disagree.If you did a pollen analysis and it showed it was more tan 70-% pollen of vipers then under the codex system it has to be called that by its common name.do you name your honey manuka when it is Kanuka?Do you call your white rata vine Rata.

Well call it by its correct name Vipers Bugloss not Blue Borage.

Chris ,Asure Quality are completely out of the system now so I am led to believe.

What does it taste like and what colour is the honey?

The N. Rata is light amber while the S.rata is water white and I dont think the N Rata goes like concrete if it is not creamed.

Still be truthful in what you sell.You cannot tell the difference between S and N Rata in the frames but it is not the frames you are selling,it is the honey extracted from these frames and you can differentiate then.It is great telling people the difference between N and S Rata trees, so many people do not know.

I get annoyed that everyone calls vipers bugloss blue borage when it is not.Like not naming the ratas sepertately.N Rata honey is a completely different colour to S.Rata. SI label my honey true to variety after getting the pollen analysis back.

What else is coming in.Down here we have lotus major and I have seen Koromiko flowering and the small white rata vine is yet to start.

Will you get a surplus to extract?

I think it has to do with the weather conditions on their mating flights. Birds or other things may like them. I do not know.

Kamahi,S.Rata and Manuka so they have a choice.That is where my hives are. Here in Otira kamahi has nearly finished and I have not seen any signs of S. Rata yet but it is still early.

"Don't tell everyone"

Yes a little chilly here.I will buy a rain gauge shortly.Talking to a farmer at Inchbonnie last week and they have had 5.7 mtrs of rain.I am sure ours would be at 7 or close to it.