A plant at a time: Oatstraw

[Anonymous]

By "source" you mean supplier? Hmm, I've been thinking about that, just getting a small amount so it doesn't cost me an arm and a leg. I've no problem with wheat or anything (glutan I presume) so... Think I'll ask a more specific question or questions. I found out from Nettle that I had been asking the wrong questions all along so, hmmm.

Dracaena ...<i>who knows it is time for bed when she is "hmmm-ing" way too often, hmmmm</i>

[Spiritsoar]

I've been called to oatstraw as well. I just got a pound of green tips from Stony Mountain Botanicals that knock the socks of the stuff that I purchased locally (even though it was green) and for $5.00/lb. For me, the groats seems to have more of a calming effect than the tips. When I drink the infusion, what I feel energetically is more subtle than when I eat a bowl of steel cut oats. Anyone else willing to share their experiences with Avena?

[Bat in the Gloaming]

Hi,
Wow not much written on this thread in a long time.

I'm growing oats for the first time and looking forward to harvesting the milky tops to make oat glycerite and to dry some for infusions later. I'm excited to harvest before it turns brown. Much of what I get when I buy oat tops and straw is brown and not very tastey.

My question is when is the optimal time to harvest. My oats are chest high and the heads have just appeared. I've checked a few and they aren't fat nor are they milky. I can just watch and check every few days but I'd love to hear from anyone else who has grown and harvested their own. What is your experience and do you have any tips?

Also has anyone else used the tops to make glycerite or tincture? I'd love to hear of your experience?

Thanks,
Angela

[Lady Alinor]

My husband accidently sprayed my Oats so I'm on the lookout for more here on the property. Last year my chickens got to the oats before I did.

I would check the Oats daily, its amazing how quickly they can mature. I peel back the covering and pinch with my fingernail to see the 'milk'.
I've made Tincture, a whole quart. I still have most of that left. I made it more for when I'm out and about and in need.

[Bat in the Gloaming]

Lady A
Thanks. I will check the oats daily and watch for the milk.

[Bat in the Gloaming]

Lady A and anyone else who has made milky oat tincture or glycerite or vinegar.....

My oat patch is almost ready. I've been checking everyday and I'm just starting to see milky stuff when I squeeze the oat groat/seed. Now I'm wondering what to do with it. I will harvest some and dry for infusions. I want to also try making a glycerite (I'm not using alcohol right now so no tincturing) plus I'm considering making a vinegar with the oat tops...I know vinegar is best for extracting the minerals but other constituents too? I want to try a glycerite with the oat tops and use it the way people do for reducing anxiety and to nourish the nervous system. I'm using James Green's handbook for herbal medicine makers and there is a formula for glycerites using fresh plant material. That is the one I plan to use. It says to use a blender to grind the plant and thoroughly mix together with glycerine. Put in Jar with lid and let it sit for two weeks, agitating twice a day.

Does anyone else have a favorite way to use milky oat tops?

A question: After harvesting do you remove the outer hull? If so how do you do it? just peeling them off by hand?

Many thanks,
Bat in the Gloaming

[Bat in the Gloaming]

Still wanting to know how you process fresh milky oat tops for tincture or glycerite....Do you put the whole head into the liquid or do you chop it or blenderize it to break it up? or what? Does the outer husk layer need to be removed? I hope not 'cause that would be very tedious and time consuming.....to peel each one

My oats are at the milky stage and I want to process them as soon as possible. What I don't use for making a glycerite I plan to dry for infusions later.

Thanks for any help here.

[Bat in the Gloaming]

Upon further searching on this site I found some instruction that I will go with. It is from Lady B. I include a link to the thread in case anyone else is interested. She wrote:

once we could SQUEEZE the oat kernals and see the milk, I 'zipped' them off the branches and FILLED the jar. It's SOOOO beautiful (and I use 100proof vodka) For some reason, when they hit the vodka FRESH, they turned even GREENER, and there was SUCH bubble activity (air gets caught in the husks) that all my shaking and pounding to release the bubbles caused the kernals to line up in beautiful patterns. The next wave that came to the milky stage were 'zipped' (slide fingers, pop off kernals) went onto a big, flat, bamboo tray and they're quietly going that lovely sage grey/green that we're familiar with. I did a second sowing when the first seemed to have germinated 'spottily' and they ALL germinated and because they're close together, will be much smaller. A single oat plant with plenty of room is a BEAUTIFUL thing! I will, I will get the photos up!!

Growing your own OATS?
http://www.healingwiseforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=24730&p=161766&hilit=oat+tincture#p161766

[Bat in the Gloaming]

Update and another question: About the harvest of oats at the milky stage.

I've harvested some of the tops for making oat vinegar and a glycerite. Those are going well.

Next I harvested the stalk-leaf-tops and have that drying.

For any of you who have grown your own oats for infusions:
My question is: for oat-straw/tops infusions do you use all three parts (leaf, stalk and tops) or just the tops and leaf. By leaf I mean the green long slender 'grass' leaves that grow off the central stalks. When I've bought Oat straw with tops, it is always minced up so much that I can't tell if it includes the central stalk. The central stalk makes up at least 70% of the whole batch of harvest so it would be a big difference whether you use it or not.

It sure is fun to grow my own!! I've got some nettles growing in the wild zone and a patch of red clover and a few clumps of comfrey. Yum

Thanks

[Lady Alinor]

I harvest and use the top third of the plant for infusion...leaf, stalk and tops.

[Bat in the Gloaming]

Thanks again!! I really appreciate you sharing your experience.

[coyotemist]

What do you use oatstraw tincture for?

I am LOVE LOVE LOVING the infusion right now. The bag of oatstraw I have is one I bought from Mtn Rose Herbs a few months ago. It's green and lovely, and I'm really drawn to it (previously I went through a phase with nettle the same way, and now I'm not loving nettle, although I drink some, but not as much) I can't seem to get enough oatstraw infusion. It's helping me feel calm, and stronger, and it's helping my heart issues.

[Bat in the Gloaming]

Coyotemist you wrote:

What do you use oatstraw tincture for?

I'm making a glycerite with just the milky oat tops. I'm planning to use it for nourishing and repairing my nervous system. I read in James Green's book (The Herbal Medicine Maker's Handbook) his description of what oat is good for and it sounded like me:

Oat is one of the best nerve tonics for feeding the depleted nervous system of those who overwork and under nourish themselves, or for those who function on nervous energy (or caffeine) for too long without replenishing their reserves. ...It's anti-depressive activity is specific for nervous exhaustion and debility when associated with depression.

Green also has a list of plants that work well with using glycerine and he included milky oat tops in the list. I'm new at using herbs and haven't tried oats as a glycerite. (As a recovering alcoholic I am choosing not to use alcohol for tincturing-- that's why I'm experimenting with glycerin.) I've only used oatstraw and tops for infusion and eaten oats. We have space to garden and I turned the old chicken yard into a plot to grow oats for the first time so I was excited to try using her in as many ways as I can.

[coyotemist]

That quote sounds like an excellent reason why I'm so enjoying them right now! (There are lots of seed tops in my dried herb.)

I can certainly understand wanting to use a glycerine instead of an alcohol in your case. And it would be fun to explore how a tincture or glycerite feels different than an infusion, especially if the benefits are supposed to be the same!

[Bat in the Gloaming]

I forgot to mention that an herbalist friend told me recently there have been studies showing that there is something in the milky oat tops (and only found in the milky oat tops) that repairs damaged mylein sheath of nerves. I don't know her source. It is suppose to be good for people with MS (multiple sclerosis).

Yes I'm wanting to see if I notice any difference between oats done in infusion, as a vinegar and the glycerite...having written that I guess I'd have to take them separately for stretches of time without taking other herbs.... I'm not sure if I will be that 'scientific' about it.