Comb Honey Sales

[220]

Who sells comb honey and what sort of percentage of your overall sales does it account for.
What packaging do you use.

Im looking  for a way to value add to my sales and thinking I might try some comb honey with a bit of a twist to differentiate from everyone else selling comb.
Thinking about modifying a ideal box and frames to hold half length frames and then selling the comb in the mini frames. With the frame it should allow vacuum sealing without crushing the comb.
No idea if it will work, I think the bees will probably build a heap of bridging comb between the ends of the frames if I use a simple frame rest across the centre of the box. Not sure how they would take to it with a full depth divider. Not sure if there is even a market but I think the novelty factor of a complete frame would appeal to a few customers.

[little john]

Have you ever considered sections - this was a popular way of selling honey back in the days before extractors.  Although I'm not a honey-farmer myself, I understand it's possible to buy flat-pack section boxes, the ultra-thin foundation for these, and professional quality packaging to suit those section boxes - thus providing a complete professional packaging 'system', ready to go.  Dunno about prices though - but might be worth looking into ?
LJ

 

[Dallasbeek]

I like the idea of jars of honey with some comb honey in the jar.  This shows that your honey is natural.  Some people will pay extra for comb honey, while others reject it outright.  The section boxes LJ mentions are the usual way it's sold here, but some beekeepers do the comb in the jar and then fill with extracted honey, still charging a slight premium.

[220]

I have looked at comb boxes and the cost here is about the same as a frame would cost.
Last year was my first and I had no trouble selling the little bit of honey I had locally in jars.
I will do the same this year, being a rural area most are looking for local honey at a competative price. Packaging and appearence are not high on their priority list when buying. I am using plastic jars and tubs for the local sales as they are the cheapest option.
I also have some more attractive glass jars I was going to try locally, dressed up with a piece of ribbon and maybe some as chunk. A little bit of tourist trade and might make a nice gift if someone is looking for a local product.


With the mini frame idea I would be looking at using my brother to sell at inner city farmers markets. He does 3 markets a week and currently has 3 or 4 employees helping. He actually dropped in just after I posted and said go for it. He doesnt think he would have any trouble selling them at $25-30 a frame. You can do the math but our ideal frame is half depth, going half lenght with them 4 would occupy the same area as a single deep. I will have to defer to him on pricing as he knows what people are prepared to pay.
I thought he was mad when he said he would supply the packaging and pay me $35/kg for as many wild blackberries as I could supply, he sold out every market selling at $70/kg.

[BeeMaster2]

Really nice having a guaranteed sale at max price. Some bees refuse to build on the thin foundation. I talked to one Beek here that has been using thin foundation for a long time and some years he can not get to build on it. Usually you need a good flow. You may want to use some foundation less frames in some hives as a backup.
Jim

[little john]

220 - bearing in mind what you've written about your brother - I'd say that selling direct to the inner-city has to be the perfect solution ...  and so I'd suggest you supply him with samples of whatever you produce: honey-comb, jars of extracted honey, beeswax, tincture of propolis - whatever you can dream up - and see which of these sell the easiest and for the best price.  An experienced and already established market trader as an outlet ? - that has to be the best possible scenario. Very envious. Good luck. 
LJ

[220]

Finding a outlet is the least of my worries, we have a retail shop that is open 363 days a year and I have the farmers market option.
Brother has said to me previously he thinks he could sell 50-100kg honey per week if I could supply it.
I certainly dont have the numbers or the experience to be running the number of hives to produce that amount at present and dont know if I even want to go down the path of a serious sideliner.

I think your right sawdstmakr the mini frames would need to go on in a good flow to get them drawn and filled quickly to produce a nice clean product. I was actually thinking of trying wax starter strip. I have a nice strong hive that drew and filled a deep of foundation in 12 days so at least know the mini frames should be possible in theory.

Little john one of the good things about the farmers markets is customers are realising produce is seasonal. Some of the chefs and restaurants that buy off him now reflect the seasonal nature in their menu's. Might help me out with only supplying a small volume periodically. I did try selling a bit of wax last year in my shop, only had a few kg so did it up as little ingots in 100g lots. Priced it at $5/100g, sold it all very quickly and have had customers asking for the past 6 months when I will have more.

[220]

Was in Sydney over the weekend and managed to catch one of the bee supply places and pick up some ideal frames. Modified one with the leatherman to the half lenght I am thinking of using.
I caught up with my brother Sunday morning at the markets, it is the first time I have been and the number of customers really surprised me. Brothers setup is in a U shape with a couple of registers, scales etc in the middle of the U. He had 2 people manning the registers another 2 constantly refilling the tables and cutting pumpkins, melons etc and another floating talking to customers and handing out samples.
In the few hours I was there, there was no down time at all with a constant stream of customers and usually line at the registers to pay.
Had a good look around and there were 2 stalls selling honey, both also had other non bee stuff for sale. One had quite a selection of honeys but prices started at $20/kg and went up from there. Didn't look at prices on the other but just walking past it struck that they probably had to many options when it came to packaging. A dozen or more different shaped and sized jars and then buckets as well.

Showed my brother and a chef that helps him out a bit the mini frame and they thought retail at that market would be $25-50. Going to try a box of the mini frames and see how we go. Even at the bottom end it would be a 400% increase over the same amount of extracted honey.

[220]

Knocked up a quick jig for the basic cuts need to transform the ideal frame into a mini frame last night. Quite in the shop today so managed to cut everything and nail them together when I got home. Probably about 2hrs with handsaw file and chisel. to modify and assemble 16 frames. Have modified a 8 frame ideal box to hold 16 of these mini frames, they do look cute.
Probably wont get to my yard until later this week, I am just hoping the flow we are in continues so the draw and fill them.

[BeeMaster2]

If they fill them up, sounds like you need to make a lot more of them. Do you have SHBs? If so you will need to freeze them prior to sending them to your brother.
Jim

[eltalia]

@220

Just caught up with your concept, the comb is always a hit especially with
the kids, but I would think more on the inclusion of hardware as that might
well bring the food Poeliss downonya.

Bill

[220]

I really cant see how there could be an issue with selling in wooden ware. 
The bees use it to store honey in, it is often stored in frames in and out of the hive for extended periods until it is harvested.
If they have issue with it then the entire bee industry is in trouble, selling in the frame you are simply allowing the customer to do the final harvesting themselves.

[eltalia]

I really cant see how there could be an issue with selling in wooden ware. 

I can (see) but maybe it's worth asking first..?.. your brother would have
the required permit for food stalls so get him to ask the question. Carnt hurt.

The bees use it to store honey in, it is often stored in frames in and out of the hive for extended periods until it is harvested.
If they have issue with it then the entire bee industry is in trouble, selling in the frame you are simply allowing the customer to do the final harvesting themselves.

That will swing here, and maybe on any of these Internet forums... yet argue
it with a Foodie and see how you go, hey :-)

Bill

[Anybrew2]

Hi there 220, I have just completed a batch of comb honey. I used a system by John Edmonds in Victoria. He makes and sells a kit with special ideal frames in which clear cassettes/containers fit into.
They work fantastically. I dont know Mr Edmonds but I like the product. Once the comb is drawn and filled you clip the custom lid on. The honey comb is totally untouched by human hands.

Cheers
Steve
Dubbo

[220]

The only thing in the food packaging regs I can see as applicable is the requirement to use new packaging.
Not a issue as I am using new frames, the intention is to vacuum pack the entire frame. With the frame as support it should allow vacuum packing without crushing the comb.
I do expect given the customers that some will return frames. The only use I can think of for them at this stage is mini mating nucs but will be covering frame cost in the retail price so any that come back are a bonus.

Thanks Steve I'll have a look and see what I can find on Edmonds system

[eltalia]

The only thing in the food packaging regs I can see ..... (edit)

In accepting your posting (s) are a form of research I (we?) know what you can see, an' it is a
 fine concept.... except. Whatever you present food in has today to meet standards. I would be
very surprised to discover raw untreated jointed timber from the body of a living organism
survives scrutiny as "acceptable use" in packaging. Systems as the cassette method
are not new and so would have been approved - I would hope - as has some containerised
packaging from "commercial kitchen" environments.
Yours is a totally new concept (to me) and so it would not hurt to ask first.

If approved, fine... yet without that how could anyone recommend the product? For mine the
 presentation would fall into the same category of products as Flow Hive [tm] offerings
"caveat emptor" prevails.

Bill

[220]

Its certainly not a new concept, honey has been sold by the frame for as long as hives with frames have been about.
A couple of online retails offering full frames
http://www.malfroysgold.com.au/comb.html
https://www.naturesgoldhoney.com.au/product/whole-honeycomb-frame/

It may be that the restrictions on it are less than extracted honey. It may well fall into the same category as fruit so wouldn't even be the need for the premises to be certified as it isn't being processed in anyway.

[eltalia]

Its certainly not a new concept, honey has been sold by the frame for as long as hives with frames have been about.
A couple of online retails offering full frames
http://www.malfroysgold.com.au/comb.html
https://www.naturesgoldhoney.com.au/product/whole-honeycomb-frame/

(edit)

errrm...now you got me wonderin' if actually you are selling the race tickets after buying a horse innit..!
Like I said.. new to me, but aint that Googul wonderful - hooray...!..40 plus years in Apiaries and the
Internet slaps me from wall to wall, not.

Good lucks with it all, as said... it never hurts to ask first.

Bill

[220]

Your point about the flow hive is a interesting one, if you were to harvest straight from the hive into jars you have no honey processing room to get approved. Similar to selling frames, I have sent a email off to our state food authority asking for clarification on what the requirements are for both of these situations.
It will be interesting to see the response.

[eltalia]

Your point about the flow hive is a interesting one, if you were to harvest straight from the hive into jars you have no honey processing room to get approved. Similar to selling frames, I have sent a email off to our state food authority asking for clarification on what the requirements are for both of these situations.
It will be interesting to see the response.

My point on Flow Hivets was there is no way to know know what you are buying unless you know know
 the beekeeper. My message is to stay well away from the product where you read it is "Flow Honey".
Kudos for that effort tho' ... good place to start and please do post the outcome, in short speak, not the
spin one usually gets from g'mnt ...heh ;-))

Bill

[omnimirage]

A local beekeeper showed me her honeycomb set up recently, she used made I think it was 8 ply wood miniboxs to fill in an empty frame, the bees would fill in these mini-plywood boxs with comb and she found a cheap square plastic container with a lid that looks great, and she cuts out the honey from the plywood boxs and puts it in the container.

[220]

A bit of a update, yet to hear anything back from the food authority, no surprises there.
I threw the box on mid Autumn in the hope we may get a late flow. With the drought conditions we didn't but the bees were still bringing in a little and did some work on the mini frames.
They seem to have no trouble with them, there was virtually no brace comb and they hadn't tried to fill the area in the middle of the box between frames at all so I will be giving them a run next season.
Tried vacuum sealing them, went a bit heavy on the first attempt and crushed some of the comb, but after that no issues.

[Bamboo]

Looks great 220 well done good luck selling them
My only concern would be from a food safety point of view is the nails in the frame. Not sure they would pass muster.
Given that they are such a small frame and really don't get much handling like a normal frame, inspection extraction etc, they are only a one use frame, how about just friction joints? The top and bottom bars can be made to fit snugly tapping them together with a hammer.
On further thought I would question wood in a food product, splinters etc.
I know you posted a couple of links of others doing the same, however just because they are doesn't make it legal.
Don't get me wrong, I think what you have done is great and I salute you but knowing what a nanny state country we live in I just have this gut feeling that there is no way they would approve wood or nails in/next to a food product, straight from the hive or not.
I have been wracking my brains and I can't think of one food product that is packaged in wood.
Not being a wowser but I would hate you to get slapped with a public liability suit that could ruin you and your family, it only takes one smart a....ed lawyer to buy it at a market "supposedly " get a splinter from eating the honey and you are up the creek.

[220]

Wood is still used for the vast majority of fruit bins, all commercial sales are buy the bin, it isn't until further down the line that the fruit ends up in something other than wood.
From first hand experience I can tell you the condition of fruit bins is no where near what even a poorly kept frame is in.
They are small enough that a friction fit and glue would no doubt hold them but given most fruit bins have rust nails and gang nail plates all over them I don't think it is really a issue.
I would really like to get a reply from the food authority to clarify but the use of wood certainly isn't with out precedence.
Brother and plenty of others sell fruit directly from wooden bins, a slight difference in that the customer doesn't take the bin with them but certainly having the product stored in wood isn't a issue. There has also been a bit of a return to wooden chopping blocks in the butchery industry, pine and a number of other timbers actually have anti bacterial properties and they are scientifically proven to be more hygienic than plastic or glass.

[Acebird]

I can't think of one food product that is packaged in wood.

Cod fish, fruit, and so far kitchen utensils are still made of wood.  Bamboo skewers are still used, toothpicks after a meaty meal.  Cutting boards and most foods are stored in wooden cabinets.  We would all be dead if wood was an unsanitary material.  Now plastic could harbor the nastiest of nastiest of germs but we have been led to believe it is sanitary.  Maybe I should say most people believe.

[Bamboo]

Wood is still used for the vast majority of fruit bins, all commercial sales are buy the bin, it isn't until further down the line that the fruit ends up in something other than wood.
There has also been a bit of a return to wooden chopping blocks in the butchery industry, pine and a number of other timbers actually have anti bacterial properties and they are scientifically proven to be more hygienic than plastic or glass.

I agree with most you say however the "food" is not consumed from the wood packaging and in most cases has a skin on it that is often removed prior to eating.
I am not sure you could scientifically prove that wood is more hygienic than glass.
Hey look I'm not trying to rain on your parade I would love to do something similar but I just don't think wood and nail packaging will cut it with the food authorities.

[220]

If there is any issue with wood and nails then bee keepers are in serious trouble. We will have to all move to another material for hives and frames. Any issues with comb honey in timber frames would apply equally to honey extracted or comb honey cut from timber frames.

I really can't see how there can be a issue, every super market in the country sells raw meat, poultry and seafood skewered on bits of timber. Plenty of takeaway places sell the same cooked ready to consume packaged exactly the same way.

 

[Bamboo]

I am interested to know what the NSW Food Authority reply is, I hope you let us all know. Hopefully it is applicable countrywide.
Good luck with it.
Cheers

[eltalia]

If there is any issue with wood and nails then bee keepers are in serious trouble. We will have to all move to another material for hives and frames. Any issues with comb honey in timber frames would apply equally to honey extracted or comb honey cut from timber frames.

I really can't see how there can be a issue, every super market in the country sells raw meat, poultry and seafood skewered on bits of timber. Plenty of takeaway places sell the same cooked ready to consume packaged exactly the same way.

Yeppas.. and all approved with licence to sell such.
From the visual you post all you are missing is a piece of paper
to wave about and the APPR ###### to go on the packaging.

You have done well, good luck with it all :-))

Bill

(Update)
Sorry but I have just read the restarted thread and
something Mark put triggered a memory.

True Story.
No names no pack drill buuut I know this fella who's brother's
Mother was his own wife's Mum-in-Law. A successfull businessman
with an ice dispensing franchise operation he was brought a
civil suit(plaint) claiming damages both permanent
physchological (sp?) and immediate digestive trauma (repaired)
over a stainless steel pop rivet head being consumed as part of
an iced drink. The claim was the plaintiff saw it in the glass but
swallowed regardless, to then be rushed to ED.
Yeah, I know... BS.
Buuut the outcome was an out of court settlement in the tens of
thousands of hard earned Aussie dollars. Lucky actually because
this was before the changes to corporate Law which demanded
a Director put up the Home in declarations.
As far as it is known the plaintiff never had more than a few hours
discomfort awaiting xRays excetera, and who knows how the evidence
was retrieved but it certainly was presented at discovery (legal
disclosure).
I remain convinced none of it would have passed muster in any
Court, however some people find a lever and use it. The cheapest
way out then is to pay up.

Jes' something to think about, eh?

Bill

[cao]

I have no clue on the legal issues, but I think they look pretty cool.  You and your bees done a good job. 

[Dallasbeek]

Eitalia, we have an old saying that a town too small or too poor to support one lawyer CAN support two.  Get two lawyers involved in any disagreement and they can turn it into a big deal. (Full disclosure: I've been a lawyer since 1971.)

[moebees]

A local beekeeper showed me her honeycomb set up recently, she used made I think it was 8 ply wood miniboxs to fill in an empty frame, the bees would fill in these mini-plywood boxs with comb and she found a cheap square plastic container with a lid that looks great, and she cuts out the honey from the plywood boxs and puts it in the container.

Hope the plywood doesn't contain formaldehyde.  Probably does.

[omnimirage]

220, that product looks incredible. How did you seal it in the package like that? Does it not matter that the sides of the comb isn't filled with honey yet?

Let us know what the food authorities say! I share Bamboo's concerns particularly regarding the nail. Best to be safe and get government approval.'

So formaldehyde is commonly found in ply wood?

[Bamboo]

So formaldehyde is commonly found in ply wood?

Yes it is the most common form of glue used in manufacturing plywood. They do have what are called eco glues now that have lower emissions of formaldehyde, but is a basic ingredient of all manufactured board glues including particle board, MDF and plywood.

I remember years ago that comb honey was available in a wooden box. It was just very thinly sliced pine about 6mm thick with dovetailed joints on the corners. Haven't seen it in ages though.

[eltalia]

So formaldehyde is commonly found in ply wood?

Yes it is the most common form of glue used in manufacturing plywood. They do have what are called eco glues now that have lower emissions of formaldehyde, but is a basic ingredient of all manufactured board glues including particle board, MDF and plywood.

I remember years ago that comb honey was available in a wooden box. It was just very thinly sliced pine about 6mm thick with dovetailed joints on the corners. Haven't seen it in ages though.

Thanks for the heads up Mark... I'll check this out further as I am a big fan of
3Ply (6mm) of late. It is said to be "organic" but as we know organic
is many grades of philosophy to many people.
That honeycomb was mounted in balsa, from memory, but seeing as how we don't
let our kids today play with balsa I wonder if there is why it is not around today?

Custard apples done.. pix coming :-)))

Bill

[eltalia]

Eitalia, we have an old saying that a town too small or too poor to support one lawyer CAN support two.  Get two lawyers involved in any disagreement and they can turn it into a big deal. (Full disclosure: I've been a lawyer since 1971.)

Yup.. the only  two Cadillacs in Town ;-))))

Bill

[220]

220, that product looks incredible. How did you seal it in the package like that? Does it not matter that the sides of the comb isn't filled with honey yet?

Let us know what the food authorities say! I share Bamboo's concerns particularly regarding the nail. Best to be safe and get government approval.'

So formaldehyde is commonly found in ply wood?

Packaging is just a normal household vacuum sealer. First one I hit the automatic button and with the sucking out of the air it crushed some of the comb. Had a bit of a play manually, didn't apply as much vacuum and they came up Ok without crushing the comb.
You really want them fully capped, I threw these on when our flow was pretty much over, I didn't expect them to do much at all with them but they were obviously still finding something.
Putting the box on so late in the season was just to see if it could work. I now have my answer and also know the vacuum sealing will work.
Have sent a couple to my brother to display and see what interest they generate at the markets. It will certainly make preparing comb for sale a simple task and they have a real novelty factor to them.

I have emailed the food authority again today chasing a reply to the questions asked back in January.

[BeeMaster2]

220,
When emailing the government or any business for that matter, the best way to get an answer is to get a name of the person you are sending it to and put their name in the subject line. Works even better if you can CC their boss. The chances of getting an answer go way up.
Jim

[220]

Its OK Jim I forwarded their original response from back in January that stated someone would respond as soon as they were able and enquired if they had yet had time to look at it. Had a answer back a few hours latter.

The original enquiry was
I am trying to find the relevant legislation that would need to be complied with for a hobby beekeeper to sell honey.
Packaging and labeling information is not a problem but I can not work out what catagory a hobby beekeeper would fall into what licencing requirements need to be met and if it varies depending on the harvest method used.
I am looking a 3 separate harvest options
 
1. Frames are taken from beehives and sold as is., no processing at all
2. Honey is extracted directly from a flow hive on the farm into retail containers.
3. Frames are taken from beehives to a processing room, uncapped, spun in an extractor and then into retail containers.


The response I received yesterday was

Thank you for your email, there is no Food Authority Licence required for the Activity you have described. Manufacturing and wholesaling businesses produce and sell foods by wholesale with a limited or no retail sales business component.
At a very small scale it may include home-based businesses.
Businesses need to:
1.   notify the NSW Food Authority of their business details and activities
2.   meet relevant food standards
3.   prepare for and be regularly audited and inspected

What I take from it is they do not view comb sales as any different to honey sales, if there is a retail component to it then it is just local council approval. 

[Bamboo]

That honeycomb was mounted in balsa, from memory, but seeing as how we don't
let our kids today play with balsa I wonder if there is why it is not around today?

Custard apples done.. pix coming :-)))

Bill

Bill
Of course Balsa!! 
You are right, my memory must be going haha. Yes lots of fun with Balsa as a kid, I can't tell you how many planes I built out of it. I had a passion for flying from about 5 and consumed anything to do with aircraft, flying etc.  Used to love the final stages after putting the paper on wings fuselage etc applying the dope which tightened everything up and made the finished product, till I crashed it and had to rebuild lol.
Then I finally got my pilots licence not long after my driving licence. I can still remember the elation of my first solo, I Yahooed the entire circuit. It was a surprise as normally it takes about 20 hours of flying time before they let you loose on your own and I only had 6 hours so came out of the blue. But man what a feeling, something that I had wanted to do all my life I was on a high all that week and couldn't wait for the next weekend!
Looking forward to the Custard Apple pics.
Cheers
Mark

[Bamboo]

@220
I am not sure they answered or understood your questions.
They have just said you don't need a licence.
Item 2 "Meet relevant food standards"  means what exactly in relation to what you are doing?
I don't think they have been very clear or helpful to you.

[eltalia]

@220
I am not sure they answered or understood your questions.
They have just said you don't need a licence.
Item 2 "Meet relevant food standards"  means what exactly in relation to what you are doing?
I don't think they have been very clear or helpful to you.

I agree the first response is not helpful, Mark... I also reckon Jim's tip is spoton.
This, ".   notify the NSW Food Authority of their business details and activities"
is the cornerstone of what any Foodie would lever their notice on as it cuts out
 the "I didn't know" excuse.
Worth chasing up I reckon... and now @220 has a foot in, a "name" to talk to,
that desk jockey will boot a response up the chain as they have given their best
response.

SkyPilots?
I own hundreds of hours in the RH seat Mark, and in PNG where 8,000' to go
places is the daily grind... but never quite got to get a licence and so yep, I can
have some insight into "the buzz" but not at all as it would be with the feet on
the pedals.. heh heh ;-)
And you triggered another memory.. "dope", now there is likely why the play
with balsa was removed, yeah? If kids would take to sniffing aerosols what
the freckle would a pot of dope bring on!! ;-))))

Bill

[Bamboo]

SkyPilots?
I own hundreds of hours in the RH seat Mark, and in PNG where 8,000' to go
places is the daily grind... but never quite got to get a licence and so yep, I can
have some insight into "the buzz" but not at all as it would be with the feet on
the pedals.. heh heh ;-)
And you triggered another memory.. "dope", now there is likely why the play
with balsa was removed, yeah? If kids would take to sniffing aerosols what
the freckle would a pot of dope bring on!! ;-))))

Bill

Mate of mine who I used to play golf with down NSW grew up in PNG his dad was a pilot up there surname Bell. Lots of dodging rocks in the sky with low viz and short take off, landing de rigueur.

[eltalia]

SkyPilots?
I own hundreds of hours in the RH seat Mark, and in PNG where 8,000' to go
places is the daily grind... but never quite got to get a licence and so yep, I can
have some insight into "the buzz" but not at all as it would be with the feet on
the pedals.. heh heh ;-)
And you triggered another memory.. "dope", now there is likely why the play
with balsa was removed, yeah? If kids would take to sniffing aerosols what
the freckle would a pot of dope bring on!! ;-))))

Bill

Mate of mine who I used to play golf with down NSW grew up in PNG his dad was a pilot up there surname Bell. Lots of dodging rocks in the sky with low viz and short take off, landing de rigueur.

Wholly 0fftopic (apologies) I can say there was a sparky in POM (Port Moresby) by that name (Bell)
 who run an appliance store - like a mini Waltons for our USA brethren - I cannot recall him at the
 Aero Club in POM or Lae but that means nothing as I am a right bugger with names.

We all got "War Stories" but as we (at home) were only last night at dinner
reliving some PNG experiences it is a bit weird (DejaVu) the topic comes up now.
So... I can tellya there are even today I reckon many a hairy ride into and out of PNG 'airports'.
Two are at the top of the list, equal ranked.
I cannot remember the name of the village with the ridge landing strip but the other "Tapini"
is luckily available on the Net. So that alone tells you the degree of difficulty, yeah?
https://m.you  tube.com/watch?v=mOOf5GxBmx4
This fella is in a far more modern plane than we used (South Pacific Lager - Tiger (Lion?) Brewries)
-  and is taking a different approach, we were lower and flew up the valley, not over it as he does.
You had to fly up the valley in ascent, turn, and "flop" onto the strip. The video doesn't show it so
well, or they have lengthened the strip since, but the plane ran uphill to stop with a team of locals
waiting with wheel chocks and ropes.
Also his takeoff is missing the grab for airspace (pressure) we endured which involved falling off
the end of the strip, into a Right wingover and diving into the valley to get airspeed and flight
conditions, Most interesting moments !
Still right now my spine tingles as I fly the RH seat watching that video.

And know... every day, weather permitting ( @POM), a 206 Cessna flew in there with mail, solo
pilot mostly. I got to be at a few Wakes in my time at the POM Aero Club.
End...sorry folks.

Bill

(Updated)
This fella was obviously there after my residence as he talks about the eruption in Rabaul which
chased us back to Aussie, but his accounts are very descriptive and accurate;
http://www.billzilla.org/aviationpage2.htm

Enjoy :-)))

[Bamboo]

@eltalia
No room for a go around at Tapini if you mess it up! As the other Bill said go to port on takeoff and you have a dead end. I can imagine the rush of the wingover to stbd with that stream at the bottom of the valley. Awesome stuff!
As a kid my first real flying experience was with my cousin who delivered mail and newspapers to remote farms in a Cessna. I used to hang out for the days when I could go with him. Unfortunately he flew into a sky rock in bad weather (isn't it always the way, you can see the things in good weather!) and I imagine he was on VFR at the time. Was back home for my mothers funeral last year and was flicking through some old photo albums and found a picture of him and I in front of the Cessna, brought back lots o memories. Was able to look up the accident report online, aint the internet great?

It was a 180 https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=63263

[BeeMaster2]

Boy has this thread gone completely off topic. 
Jim

[Bamboo]

Sorry Jim
No more flying stories!

[eltalia]

Boy has this thread gone completely off topic. 
Jim

Heh.. thought 'we' were "safe" in DUB..?.. buuut point taken.

Any excuse I make would be baaed on my last experience in
"doing the right thing" in taking such musings to the Coffee House.
That choice copped me a 30day+ ban, if you recall ;)

I'll stick to rigid topic in future and do apologise for leading newbie
<Bamboo> astray.
Thanks Jim.

Bill

[BeeMaster2]

Bill,
I was just pointing out how far this thread had gone. Sounds like you should start a new topic about flying.
Jim