It is a cold and snowy day in January, the kind of day that beckons deep nourishment; herbal infusions, savory soups, and fresh whole grain bread with organic cultured butter or freshly pressed garlic with olive oil. Thankfully, one of the first chores of the day is to strain the herbal infusion that has been sitting overnight. Today it is oatstraw, like it is on many days. But somehow the taste of the warmed and earthy oatstraw infusion this morning is even more deeply satisfying, almost in a soulful kind of way.
I have great respect for the plant, Avena sativa, cultivated oats; which has a long history of use as food and medicine in different parts of the world. Cultivated oats are annuals in the grass family, Poaceae, that grow well in zones 4-9, preferring full sun, and have hollow stalks with knee like nodes on the stems that can grow to three or four feet in height. They produce very small black flowers, lacking petals and sepals, and are wind pollinated. Oats have a fairly quick life cycle (depending on temperatures and rainfall) and can be sown several times throughout the growing season here in Knoxville, Illinois. We broadcast seeds in prepared beds at different times of the year, beginning in April, and are amazed to see green shoots sometimes within 3-4 days. After several weeks, the plants are a beautiful shade of green that appear resilient and flexible, moving elegantly in the early summer breeze as we await the perfect time to harvest (usually after two to three moon cycles). As an herbalist, I mostly work with the plant in its immature stage, which includes the green stalk, leaves, and the unripe seeds of the grain or what is referred to as the milky oat tops. When the unripe oat tops are full of a sweet, milky white liquid, and after several days of dry weather, we know it is the peak time for harvest.
While oatmeal is a long time favorite breakfast food known for its heart healthy benefits (I enjoy a bowl of soaked and slow cooked oat grain cereal with plain yogurt, fruit, nuts, and freshly ground flax seed almost every morning), I have come to fully appreciate the other qualities that oats offer as well. Oatstraw with the milky oat tops infusion is very nourishing to the nervous system and is considered a nutritive tonic. It is rich in phytochemicals and nutrients, such as saponins, sterols, flavonoids, alkaloids, lysine, calcium, iron, B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, and zinc among others (Tilgner 2009, Balch 2010). Susan Weed (1989) suggests that a consistent practice of including oatstraw infusion in the diet brings about noticeable improvements in coordination, stronger bones, better focus, improved memory, greater clarity, increased awareness, a feeling of centeredness and calm, stabilized blood sugar, increased libido, and maintains restful sleep patterns. It is suited to those with a depleted nervous system, anxiety, exhaustion, nervous stress, and irritation.
Rosemary Gladstar (2012) suggests that it is especially helpful for those with ADD, multiple sclerosis, and during pregnancy and menopause, as it generally improves nerve function, produces a calming focused energy, and reduces fatigue. I have also found that the oatstraw infusion offers support with transitioning from addictive substances such as caffeine, as it reduces and mellows typical side effects with its deep nourishment.
I learned the Wise Woman method of making the oatstraw infusion (this is the green stalk, leaves and milky oat tops steeped for 6-8 hours in boiled water) from Susan Weed’s book, Healing Wise and from my studies/apprenticeship with Wise Woman herbalist, Linda Conroy, of MoonWise Herbs. This method of using a greater amount of herb, boiling water (even decocting it for 5 minutes before the long infusing time is suggested by Isla Burgess, 2007), and a long steeping time helps to make the oatstraw more bioavailable, breaking down the plant cell walls so that the nutrients and minerals can be more easily extracted and assimilated into the body See Herbal Recipe. By using this method, one cup contains 250 mg -300 mg calcium (Weed, 2002). Oatstraw infusion can be served cold or warm, depending on the season and time of day and when it is cooled, it is especially refreshing on hot summer days while working in the garden, as there is an immediate calming and cooling effect on the mind and body.
Oats provide so much in regards to food, medicine, and beauty that I almost forgot to mention that we also work with oats as a cover crop in combination with Austrian pea and Daikon radish. Sown by itself as a cover crop for the winter, it offers effective weed suppression in the spring and in providing quick organic matter for the soil. We have even experimented with planting potatoes straight into the bed, clearing a little space and mounding as needed… making it a no till method with the oat straw mulch already in place. Additionally, our chickens love it, if by chance we have any straw and oats that remain for them to scratch up or nibble on when we let them into the garden.
Consider making oatstraw infusion or a cup of tea that includes oatstraw blended with other relaxing herbs See Herbal Recipes, as part of a daily or weekly routine/ritual to nurture yourself more deeply. If infusions are not your cup of tea, try a fresh milky oats extract/tincture in organic vodka or a nonalcoholic glycerite. If you have access to a small plot of earth, grow your own bed of oats. Cultivate a more intimate relationship with her as you sow the seeds, nurture the plants, sway gracefully with her in the summer breeze, dance with her under the moonlight, harvest the straw, dry the herb, prepare the infusion, and savor the earthy brew that Avena offers.
May you enjoy the many qualities that oats offer and may we all be filled with gratitude and optimal nourishment as we engage in this deeply satisfying relationship.