Comments on: Sweet Cream: The Medicine of Milky Oats

By: Linda

Linda — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 20:45:16 +0000

Oh, and one more question regarding tinctures. If I boil some water and remove it from the stove, then put the drops of tincture into the hot water and let the water cool, is it true that the alcohol will evaporate and the herbal concoction will be unharmed and still as effective?

By: Linda

Linda — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 05:18:22 +0000

Dear Kiva–

What a wonderful article. My sister and I have decided to start in on the Milky Oat Tops tincture. We both are also drinking raw apple cider vinegar (diluted) each day. Can you tell me, are the two compatible and should there be any specific amount of time between ingesting the two different things?

Thank you.
Linda

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 23:18:59 +0000

Yes, it is too late, Bekah. Fresh milky oats and dried oatstraw are different medicines, you can read my more recent post on Oatstraw (called Wild as the Day is Long if you want to search for it) to read more about that.

By: Bekah

Bekah — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 22:28:18 +0000

Is anyone still monitoring this post? I grew some oats this season, harvested some a couple of weeks ago in the milky stage and dried them in the barn for tea. When I was looking things up today prior to processing them, I discovered that I could have made a tincture from the fresh milky oat tops. It sounds like, from the comments here, it’s too late to make a tincture from the dried ones. Is that right? I originally grew and dried these for my mom for tea, but now am thinking that my father-in-law would also benefit. He, however, would be unlikely to brew and drink them as tea, so I thought of the tincture. So, if it’s not too late and I can still make tincture from the dried tops, would someone let me know? Thanks!

By: Daisy

Daisy — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:18:58 +0000

I wonder then if the oats were harvested at the wrong time,, It was earlier on in the summer when I harvested them.. it’s all experimental for me this year.. I am learining by doing and researching as I go..
I do think I got the perfect oats my last time out for the tinctures.. they were really full and milky.. I made some vinegar as well.. I am hopeful it will make a difference for my Husband who is depleted .. and suffering.. with pain.. and depression .. I am in search for a answer for him.
I will let you know if you like of any success with this wonder herb.. thanks for your help.. I will use the dried and hard oats for infusions ..

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:53:38 +0000

Daisy,

I’ve never seen milky oat tops dry rock hard… but yes, the dried milky oat tops are wonderful for infusions as well as vinegar tinctures.

So glad you have such an abundance, it is a wonderful ally.

Blessings,
Kiva

By: Daisy

Daisy — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:52:41 +0000

I am learning about the milky oats.. and have made some tincture.. hoping it is the answer for my hubby how is suffering from nerve pain, ,, which in turn comes anxiety and then depression..
I am wondering what to do with the green oats that have dried rock hard.. what would I be able to use them for.. maybe the infusion.. or could I use them in a vinegar infusion.. I am lucky to have learned some of this wonder herb that is growing right in front of us.. everywhere.. I have gathered some but I fear not enough.. I like the idea of the tinctures.. there is so much to learn..

By: s*kate

s*kate — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 20:03:54 +0000

Thanks, that is helpful

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:51:37 +0000

Hi kate, I don’t use any stalk. Well, you know, it’s confusing to me because I planted a small bed (2′.5″x3′) but I lost so many to bugs and grazers etc that I didn’t end up getting very much, but I think if I would have had plenty for a quart or two of tincture had they all survived. They’re sure easy to grow if nothing eats them! That’s not a very specific answer, is it? LOL

I think the wild ones, as per usual, tend to be stronger, at least the ones from NM and AZ tend to be stronger than the cultivated ones. But in general I don’t think it’s a large difference, they both seem to work very well.

If you harvest the first batch of seed/fruit from the stalk by only cutting it back as far as needed to get the seed/fruit, then you’ll often get a second batch of oats from that plant, so they go further that way.

Hope some of that is helpful.

By: s*kate

s*kate — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:16:20 +0000

When you say just the seed for the tincture, you mean no stalk at all right?

Any idea of roughly how many seeds I need to sow in order to get enough seed for say 500mls tincture? I’ve grown oatstraw before so have a sense of that, but I seem to remember there’s not much seed to each stalk.

Also, do you think there is much difference between wild oat and the cultivated ones?

By: jim mcdonald

jim mcdonald — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:50:31 +0000

hmmm… a black candle?

By: Nourished Mother

Nourished Mother — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 21:48:01 +0000

Wow, such helpful information here Kiva! Thank you thank you thank you…

By: Kiva Rose

Kiva Rose — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 01:31:50 +0000

hah, jim, i didn’t know that about the blacklight and how would i? being without electricity an all, heh.

yep i agree, great formula base and would certainly warrant being the next giant fad herb, our culture could use a giant milky oats bath.

rowan, I haven’t used milky oat glycerite but I’ve known other people who have successfully. I think it’s certainly worth a try. without electricity I’m unable to freeze my herbs, but I think that’s also worth a try. let me know how it goes.

not all recovering alcoholics need to avoid tinctures either. it never bothered me, but it totally depends on the individual.

By: rowan nelsen

rowan nelsen — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 23:13:20 +0000

My husband is exactly the profile for milky oats but he is a recovering alcoholic. I have him drinking the dried oatstraw infusion every day but can’t use a fresh alcohol tincture with him. do you know if a glycerite would be effective? Also, the juicing idea is great. here in northern cali oats grow wild all over our property and our friends properties and their friends properties…but its a short window where they are green. maybe freezing the juice? anyways, just mainly wondering about a glycerine tincture of milky oats.

By: jim mcdonald

jim mcdonald — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:25:40 +0000

ah, milky oats. You should’ve recommended folks get ahold of a black light so they can trip out on the glowing tincture…

Super nice tincture to use as a base for formulas… juts made myself a blend of milky oats, violet and lemon balm the other day.

Fresh nettle and milky oats tincture combined excels at helping people switch from chronic adrenal/sympathetic excess into metabolic/parasympathetic balance.

Milky Oats is the plant that should become the highly arketed herb fad – so broadly applicable, so unlikely to cause aggravations, even among a wide array of constitutions.