Small history

Oats: the cereal of the peoples of Europe

Oats are grown in the world's temperate regions: North America, Germany, France and Russia.

History
For the northern peoples of Europe (Scots, Vikings, Germanics and Irish), oats were a basic component of the diet. Boiled oats were the food of the Germanic peoples. Herbalists used them to cure various ailments such as fatigue, nervous ailments, depression, insomnia and rheumatism. From the 20th century on, their emollient and softening properties have made them an important ingredient in skincare products. For a long time, boiled oat flakes were the breakfast of children who could not tolerate milk.

Oats are a "cleaning" plant and slow down the appearance of weeds. More rustic than wheat, they can be grown in less rich soils. However, oats cultivation requires a lot of water. These characteristics make it appropriate for carefully thought out agriculture. It is one of the rare cereal crops that can be used in its entirety: the aerial parts for phytotherapy, the whole grains or rolled oats for food, and the straw for phytotherapy or animal feed. With oats, there's no waste!