Two Harbors sugaring operation meets sticky situation

Mar 07, 2023

TWO HARBORS — Muddy Trails owners Porsha and Josh Hoffmann decided to take the road less traveled, leaving behind the comforts of conventional life and heading out to the northwoods to produce syrup and other natural goods.

A chef for 25 years, Josh worked two part-time jobs until restaurants were mandated to be shut down as a result of COVID-19. Porsha worked from home for the nonprofits Community Action Duluth and Mentor North.

"When the pandemic hit, we decided to change our lives, work hard to buy property and live off the land," Porsha said.

To follow their dream of someday boiling syrup over an open fire, the couple left their Superior apartment to live in a camper and work as campground hosts. They met a syruper who showed them the ropes before branching off on their own to start a sustainable operation.

The couple purchased 40 acres that neighbors 120 acres of state land to make their homestead on a private dirt road off County Road 14, just north of Two Harbors.

Neighbors are sparse, with many "no trespassing" signs among a forest of balsam, maple and white pine. Over the hill lies their sage-green cabin with smoke coming out of the stack, and a truck out front. There are areas for garden beds, a chicken yard and the boiler in the yard.

Everything is done by hand, Porsha explained, from hauling water to bathing, to filtering rainwater and boiling snow to supplement drinking water.

"The way that we live is humbling. We use a 1900 cast-iron stove. There's no electricity, just solar panels that we use occasionally. We run a generator once every five days to charge our devices, and we don't have any kitchen appliances," Porsha described. "It's challenging, but it brings us closer to the land and we're more aware of our natural environment. In the modern world, we get sucked into technology and it's easy to forget."

Over the last two years, the Hoffmanns have been working hard to establish the trails among the maple and birch forests they tap. Now in their third syrup season, they've found living a sustainable lifestyle while running a sustainable business isn't for the faint of heart.

Record-breaking snowfall this winter, followed by temperatures spiking into the 70s briefly in mid-April, followed by yet another snowstorm, has made for an off-season, Porsha said.

"This year's snowfall and temperatures have made syruping a very difficult endeavor for all sugar makers across the state, but particularly for those of us in the Northland," Porsha said. "The warm weather is creating havoc on our homestead and in the sugarbush. The way things are right now and will continue to become over the next few days makes having people out here dangerous. Additionally, our road is now impassable due to extreme ice melts and washouts."

Even so, the couple remains committed to keeping it simple. To keep costs down, the Hoffmanns forgo expensive equipment and do much of the work on their property manually. The transition from modern life to a sustainable way comes with a huge learning curve, but it is also rewarding, according to Porsha.

"The work that you’re doing directly benefits yourself and you can see results. Working for a corporation, you don't always get to see the results. This is tangible. We can see the reward and share it with others," Porsha said.

Throughout winter, the Hoffmanns snowshoe their trails, packing down the snow to ensure they can access the trees.

"We don't have machines, so everything is done by hand. Shoveling is exhausting just to get out," Porsha said. "When winter drags on for so long and there is so much snow, there is nothing you can do about it. You're just beholden to whatever winter throws at you, making sure we're cutting wood to have enough for the season. The snow is demoralizing."

Freezing temperatures at night and thawing in the daytime doesn't necessarily mean the maple sap will flow, especially with over 160 inches of heavy, wet snow insulating the trees, Porsha said. A good indication maples are ready to tap is when the snow begins to pull away from the base of the tree.

"This was a really weird year. Everything with maple syrup is weather dependent, and our sugarbush is located in a unique area so we have to conglomerate forecasts," Porsha said. "It's been a warm winter. We've only had a couple days below zero, which is not normal for up here. We've been watching the temps since the end of January. It's stressful when your entire life is dependent on when the trees run."

Since March 20, Muddy Trails has tapped nearly 200 maple trees.

A tapping bit is drilled 1.5 inches at a slight downward angle into each maple of at least 10 inches in diameter, making sure not to introduce bacteria to the tree by blowing into the hole. Muddy Trails prefers using steel taps. Bags are hung and collected bags at least every other day. The sap is stored until it's cool enough to run the boiler.

The boiled sap becomes thicker until it turns into syrup. The density is checked because if it's not dense enough, the sap will get moldy. If it's too dense, it crystallizes. Overcooked batches are made into maple sugar.

"Back in the day, the Indigenous people cooked their sap to sugar because it was easier to transport. Nowadays, it's more economical to make syrup," Porsha said.

To ensure there aren't any niter, or particles, the sap is filtered before it is bottled, labeled and ready for sale.

As soon as maple season ends, birch begins. Sometimes, the seasons overlap. All spigots and bags are removed from the maples in a hasty transition, but birch trees can't be tapped until freezing temperatures subside. "It takes them a little longer to heat up," Porsha said.

Birch are taped on the shaded side of the tree. Birch trees pour sap but give little sugar, making the process significantly more labor intensive, Porsha explained. It takes 110 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of birch syrup.

The method of tapping is the same for birch and maple, but the frequency of collecting bags increases to twice a day. Unlike maples, which grow in forests, birch are more spread out.

Muddy Trails taps both paper and yellow birch, mixing the saps as there is not much difference in taste, Porsha said. Birch syrup has a citrus-molasses flavor that is tangy, yet sweet. Porsha said it's more along the lines of the balsamic vinegar family, and goes great with carrots or Brussels sprouts. Yellow birch bark has a wintergreen smell when scraped. They may incorporate it into future products, like soda.

Birch syrup typically sells out. Last year, Muddy Trails produced 20 gallons. This year, they'd be happy with 15 given the late start to the season, which is expected to last about seven to nine days.

As for maple syrup, Muddy Trails produced 40 gallons in 2022. Twenty to 30 gallons this year will suffice, Porsha said.

There will likely be less production this year. Maple season can last three to six weeks, but this year is coming down to a couple days, Porsha said.

"All of our family knows: Don't bother us unless you are going to come up and help," Porsha said about the short window of opportunity for tapping.

However, Muddy Trails won't be raising its prices. Its birch syrup is $3 per ounce. Maple syrup is $15 for 12 ounces. Flavored syrup is $15 for 8 ounces. Bulk syrup prices can be negotiated.

Muddy Trails offers a variety of maple syrup flavors including cinnamon, vanilla, fir tip, pumpkin spice, blueberry, cardamom and chamomile. Maple syrup can also be mixed with birch syrup to create a robust flavor that is really sweet.

Beyond the syrup season, Porsha gardens and sells fresh produce, foraged chaga, birch poles, crochet items, fresh eggs, jellies and jams at local markets. Muddy trails is signed up to participate in 46 markets this year, including the Civic Center Farmers' Market in Duluth, Chester Bowl Fall Fest, Pride events, Duluth Junk Hunt and Art in Bayfront Park.

Birch syrup is the bread and butter of Muddy Trails, making up an estimated 50% of sales, while maple syrup makes up another 25%, and jams, jellies, eggs and crochet make up the final 25%, Porsha said.

Many of the additions to Muddy Trail's syrups or jams, such as pin cherries and fir tips, are foraged from their land.

A one-room sugar shack will be built later this year with a lean-to on the side to store all the wood for the season. Throughout spring and fall, the Hoffmanns will work on trails to access more trees, and would like to expand their boiling capacity.

"We don't want to get huge, just maintain it at a level to support ourselves," Porsha said. "Keep it local — just us and our community."

Tours of the property can be scheduled in the fall to view bright maples and in the spring to check out the birch.

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