Trish I recommend that you give it a soak overnight and drain out the water, the water will be dark red to brown. Repeat the soaking and draining two or three times until the water is lighter coloured like a dilute tea. Then you must let it compost, for that just heap all the wet soaked bark together, water it and let it remain moist but not wet. Turn it a couple of times a week, and in about 3 weeks to a month it should be ready to be dried and used.