Cascara Bark: Minimum Necesary to Sell

A friend of mine has 40 acres outside of Mt. Vernon. While cleaning up this year's windfall he has set aside some cascaras that didn't

make it.

Is there a minimum amount less than which would not be worth anyone's effort? Does he need to strip the bark off himself? Or is it better to

sell

it as is.Is there a regional/local market? If you don't know, would

you be

willing to suggest a next step for me to find out?

Your timing for this question could not be more perfect. I was asked last week to organize a group of collectors (12 sites) for a buyer who needs 180,000 lbs this year. A primary supplier who previously supplied this dropped out of the industry, with no substitutes in place (Shelton, WA).. In previous years, my collecting points included Mt. Vernon and Bellingham.
We will take any amount from wildcrafting and salvage. The bark should begin to loosen and break this next month. If the tree is chopped down, the tree will regrows from rootstock. I would like to suggest a Tree Farming project, where every 11th tree is taken each year, for a sustainable Forest Farming project..
2007 prices are $1.60/lb, with a 10% commission coming to me for handling the money, sale, and invoicing. You and your friends would be paid as the crop left your farm. With larger productions, we skid a 40-foot trailer onto the property, and pay ever 3,000 lbs. that goes inside. When the box is full (16,000 lbs), a truck comes by and drops another empty trailer for the next load.
If your friend does not want to participate, but simply sell his smaller amount, I can supply names of buyers in the area who are willing to pay less for their own loads going out each week. Let me know what your friend would like to do, and then we can go from there. A call might be most appropriate. I am at 541-476-5588 during normal work hours.