Bryan & Laura’s Backyard Syrup

03/26/2026

Another night in the sugar shack! We are now all caught up from yesterday’s sap collection.

03/19/2026

The sap may have started flowing for us last week (before the snow). Today we have all the pumps running and the sap is flowing. We should be firing up the evaporator on Saturday!

03/08/2026

It’s almost time to start collecting sap! We’ve been busy making some improvements in the sugar shack with a new sink and propane water heater, new flooring, slight overhaul on the arch with a new chimney setup and blower, insulated the walls of the shack, created a new improved bottling area and added more shelving to store items for making syrup.

We’ve replaced all taps with new ones and got 100 bags ready to put on trees I don’t have tubing to. This year we are setup for 435 taps and counting. Now, just waiting patiently for the ground to thaw out and the sap to run!

02/17/2026

Did you know you can support Confidence Learning Center simply by donating your vehicle?

When you donate a car, truck, motorcycle, or other vehicle, you help us continue providing year-round outdoor education and recreational experiences for people of all ages with cognitive and developmental disabilities.

We make the process fast and easy, and you may qualify for a tax deduction.

To learn more, call us at 218-828-2344 or fill out the contact form on our website.

Your unused vehicle can help create confidence, independence, and lifelong memories at Camp.

02/16/2026

Busy weekend getting ready for the 2026 maple season. The temps were perfect for getting into the woods checking and putting up some tubing. In addition, with a little help from Brian Levanduski, we did a little house cleaning in the sugar shack to get it ready for some insulation and new tin on the back wall. We also filled the 15 gallon bourbon barrel, for another batch of bourbon barrel aged maple syrup. Lastly, cleaned out the evaporator to get it ready for a new chimney setup.

A lot of people are ready to make syrup, but I still have a few weeks before I need to tap the trees here.

01/01/2026

12/20/2025

Oops, I did it again. Looks like we’ll be doing one more craft fair tomorrow in Ramsey. If you’re looking for some last minute Christmas gifts or stocking stuffers, there will be over 75 crafters at this fair.

12/13/2025

It’s another weekend and we’re loaded up for two more crafts fairs this Saturday (12/13). Laura, Aiden and Rylan will be attending the craft fair in Oakdale at Skyview Middle School from 10:00am to 3:00pm. I, along with Dylan and Tristan, will be heading the opposite direction to Sartell to attend the craft fair at the Sartell Community Center from 9:00am to 2:00pm.

12/07/2025

Another weekend and a couple more craft shows. We are in White Bear Lake today at Mariner Middle School from 10am to 3pm. If you’re in the area please stop by and say Hi!

There are over 80+ vendors here today with something for everyone. More importantly, I’m the only one here with maple syrup!

11/28/2025