I'm glad I could help!
I never like joining a forum unless I have something I can offer too!
I will definitely check out Bamboosa.com but it's really just a hobby for me. I'm really good at math and what I want is to be an architect someday and design and build boats (especially outriggers like trimarans)! But I have marked some of the better culms in my bamboo jungle. When they are 3 years old, I will cut them, cure them, and make some small furniture... just to see what I can do! I've already made criss-cross trellises cause you don't have to cure the culms for that!
Btw, I might be able to help you identify your bamboo. A few things I would need to know are what color the wood is, how hard it is, how many branches at each node, how long the leaves are, how tall the culms get, and how long the runners are (if there are runners). Also, photos would help too!
As for cooking and curing, it depends on the species. Robert Young (Phylostachys Viridis) is used for fine furniture making in Japan. But the shoots are very tasty too, especially when cooked with Phylostachys Nigra 'Henon' shoots! Henon is also a timber bamboo used for building. For a really sweet treat, Phylostachys Dulcis (Sweetshoot) bamboo is great! Phylostachy Edulis Moso is great too but has to be cooked for a long time. Bamboo shoots are like Rhubarb. They have to be cooked to get rid of toxins... some longer than others. Moso needs a long cooking time while Dulcis needs very little cooking. It's a good idea to know the cooking times for each species and I will definitely include a list in my "Beginner in Bamboo" thread when I write it! Another great (and very sweet) cooking bamboo is Phylostachys Aurea (Yellow Groove) bamboo. Btw, I grow that one too!
To harvest bamboo for cooking, watch for new shoots that are about 8 cm tall (from the ground up). Dig and clip them off 5 cm below the ground. Taller ones will have more toxins and may be unsafe to cook. Hmmmm.... The "Beginners" thread might be a great place for people to swap bamboo recipees!
Anyway, I'll put the rest of that stuff in my thread! Meantime, NEVER eat bamboo shoots unless you know EXACTLY what bamboo species it is! Oh, and I'll also include a section, in the thread, with landscaping and ornamental garden ideas.
Ps. Rats near the river prolly just needed a hangout but... watch out for snakes! They do like living in tall bamboos!