Enjoy the unparallel exotic taste and fragrance of honey made from nectar collected by honey bees from over a hundred species of tropical plants. Each species, produce nectar with a slightly different composition, taste, fragrance color and nutrients. The species and number of plants per species that contribute nectar during each flowering event is different, season over season, year over year. There are two distinct nectar flows during each year. The first nectar flow occurs during early spring, beginning in mid February and extends into April-May. It is characterized by over a hundred species of small plants, weeds, vines and shrubs. Honey from this harvest tends to be amber to light amber in color with a more complex wild floral flavor, and a lower moisture content as it coincides with the drier of the two seasons. Aside from the more than 100 species of plant species that contribute to this nectar flow, species like Coffea arábica and Coffea robusta (Coffee), Citrus sinensis (Orange) and other members of the citrus family like Citrus reticulata (Mandarine), lime, grapefruit, also bloom during this time of the year. In addition Mangifera indica (Mango), Persea americana (Avocado) and Melicoccus bijugatus Jacq. (Genip), Tamarindos indica L. (Tamarind) bloom during this period, some species blooming earlier in the season than others. This medley of plant species and flavors makes it impossible to identify a single or major flavor contributing species. On the other hand, this incredible number of species contributes phytochemicals (antioxidants, polyphenols, flavonoids), and vitamins like B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid, as well as minerals, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc, that increase the nutritional and medicinal qualities of this honey. The second nectar flow occurs during the rainy season which extends from April-May to November-December. This flow is triggered by a short dry spell of 4-7 days within the rainy season. The longer the dry spell, the stronger the bloom. The bulk of this harvest is obtained from less than five to ten tree species. The most important being: Inga vera Willd (Guaba); Inga laurina (Sw.) Willd. (Guamá); Andira inermis (W. Wright) H.B.K (Moca); Eugenia jambos L. (Pomarosa), Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav.) Oken (Capá Prieto); Pithecellobium arboreum (L.) Urban (Cojoba). This honey is more delicate, lighter in taste with a smoother tropical-fruit flavor, color and slightly higher moisture content as a direct result of the higher humidity during the rainy season. Every five to seven years, a third nectar flow may occur during the rainy season. This honey is harvested on the mountains of Puerto Rico (GPS coordinates 18° 12’ 46” N 67° 4’ 27” W), nurtured by a tropical/sub-tropical, humid, environment, with an Average Daily Maximum Temperature of 88°F and an Average Minimum Daily Temperature of 67°F. Two distinct seasons, a rainy season that typically extends from April-May to November-December, and a dry season that characterizes the remaining time period, with an average total yearly rainfall of approximately 80 inches. Winds are, on average, from the South-East, at 8-10 MPH, during the day; and about a quarter to half that velocity and from the North during the night. The “Island Effect”, in which hot air rises as the land mass heats during the day, and cool air from the ocean moves in to fill the void created by the upward draft, creates a condition which provides plant communities with significantly milder temperatures, specially at night, even though the island is relatively close to the equator.Neo-Musa's main objective is quite straight forward, to make available directly from the producer to the person who’s conscious of what he, she, family and friends consume, completely natural, unfiltered, unheated, unadulterated, raw honey that is excellent tasting, highly nutritious, with a long shelf life, at an affordable price. No chemicals have ever been used in the control of honey bee diseases and pests! Being firm believers of the concept of sustainability, all objectives, strategies and practices are consciously aimed towards being environmentally acceptable, economically fair and socially just. Interested in additional information! Feel free to contact us @:
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This page was last updated: October 3, 2009
