Same thing with a bag of potting soil I got. Maybe some things are still breaking down? The soil really works well so it is not a issue.

Yes you can compost/age your pine bark but I'm not sure about using the big pb nuggets for this. I recall reading similar posts after I bought some bags of fresh but wet pb recently. I asked if they would break down over the winter. The answer was pb stored in a garage would not begin to compost. To make the compost process happen I would store the pb outside all fall/winter so that moisture and microorganisms could start breaking down the bark. With the small pb I'm sure this would work but those big 2 or 3" pieces would take a very long time to break down. I have garden beds full of chunky pb and they remain in big pieces for many years. TYG

Justaguy- Thanks again. The primary reason for thinking I'd use the pine bark fines was that I have a readily available, readily inexpensive source AND, it's something that I have to go get anyway for other "projects". Currently have some lying around also. However, the fact that it takes longer to break down as you've indicated, probably makes my reasoning unjustified/invalid. Only prob is, the only other "readily available" known good source of brown material I have is leaves. And as you indicated, it also takes a long time to break down (at least to manufacture true compost). So, now I have another delimma. At any rate, regardless, If I set out to make true leaf compost with shredded leaves, based on what you're saying, it certainly should break down faster than the pine bark fines. Sounds like I'm moving towards your original statement of use the fines for a soil ammendment and mulch, and use other materials (in this case shredded leaves and household waste) for composted materials. Pine bark fines soil ammendment, Composted shredded leaves, green manure cover crops, sounds like one heck of a start to me. In your opinion, if I go to these efforts, is it still somehow important that I work in straw and some form of animal manure into my "program"? In other words am I missing any desirable components that you can get me considering? What next (already looking into chickens for the spring....).

L.A. Please do tell what your Turface source was. AFAIK (for non-mail order) some from NYC have used SiteOne at $27+/bag (was John Deere Landscaping) out in NJ or a garden center out in Long Island. Recall others here said they did pickups in Brooklyn (Gravesend) from a residential house/mail-order Bonsai business, but personally I never got a response to inquiries.) There are much more serious NYC growers here (often in C&S) who'll probably post, but I'll summarize my own limited experiences in case it helps. Probably depends a lot on where in the city you are. If you drive it's often quicker to head out of the city than thread through it to find media components. And it may be cheaper to pay high shipping charges for mail order, than what might be spent on gas and tolls to source things. uncomposted bark for 1:1:1 gritty mix: After screening, I find about half of a ReptiBark bag is between 1/4"-1/8". I never found anything else local. Looked for orchid clubs, but they seem to have few and irregular meetings (schedules like "third Sat of every other month unless postponed") with only a random chance of bark for sale. (Unless there are some with absolutely no online presence.) Get the impression that since Nero Wolfe left the city, Westchester and Long Island may be better bets for orchid societies. Only ever found one reference to a "show" with vendors, and that was out in Suffolk County. Mail order has many options. Especially if you don't want to screen. Some here reported using a fir-bark vender in OH (Roberts), but I've gotten the best price from a vendor in PA (FirstRays), because of closer=cheaper shipping and regular discounts. They sell Besgrow's Orchiata bark - it's a processed and sized pine-bark for orchids. Precision grade at 4-6 mm and Classic at 6-9 mm. "partially-composted" bark for 5:1:1: Most commonly find (unusable) cedar mulch stocked in and near NYC. Sometimes see (huge) pine bark nuggets (but don't have access to a metal-blade leaf-mulcher-vac, and the nuggets are too dense - or my car too light - to crush them as people here say). Occasionally see shredded pine mulch (unusable bark+wood mix). Never located anything good at HD or Lowes. If you're near the trendier parts of Brooklyn, Gowanus Nursery carries a soil conditioner (aged pine bark fines) that has been reported either good, or too small/composted (sounds like you have to check the bag). Others have used Agway-associated garden centers on L.I. (Hicksville is closest), or Northern NJ, for their brand, but have to check stock or ask if they'll order. Also, for stuff like perlite, some here have mentioned a larger hydroponic shop in Queens. Never been there, but think they mean Hydroponic Garden Center/Beer Brewing Supplies in Flushing. There was an old-time Agway associated pet/feed store in the Bronx (Morrisania), but heard it closed a couple of years back.