Acacia Bark Harvesting & Prep. Guidlines?

[walkabout]

Just wondering if anyone preps their bark in any particular way...

1 - I was impatient to wait for it to dry and separate naturally so I chiselled it off (labourious++) so I could start an extraction.
2 - I dried it in an oven, slightly ajar @ ~40deg.C till the strips cracked when bent.
3 - Cut roughly smaller then blended to fine powder with some fibres in a glass blender.

What do most people do? How long does it take to dry and separate naturally?

Also, I know where there is more bark, but it has been lying out in the open after land clearing for a long time. How long does the bark stay viable if exposed to the elements?

Any more info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

[smokeydaze]

Old bark is very hard to get off as it tends to fuse to the tree, however the layer of bark is noticeably distinct and you can sometimes wedge up large chunks at a time but all in all you just try your best. A chisel works fine, even tried a angel grinder at one point, but again what ever works for you.

I've never really dried it in the oven though it does seem like a good idea. I'm not sure how long the treats last in dead bark but I'm assuming it's a fair while.