Oat seeds are typically planted in the summer or early autumn and stay dormant through the winter as oats need cold weather to grow. During the winter, the seeds germinate to store energy until it is time to grow. The oat plants finally begins to grow in the spring when the weather is warmer.
Depending on when the oats were planted, they usually are harvested in the mid-summer and onwards. Farmers today use a combine to harvest the oats. This separates the stem of the plant from the oats. They are then loaded into a truck, and are stored in silos until they are ready to be milled and hulled. This means that they are being prepared for us to eat
Oats are a source of feed for farm animals like horses and cattle. The straw from the oat plant can be used as bedding for the animals. Oats are most commonly used in foods such as oatmeal, and oat flour. They are also common ingredients in baked goods like cookies, granola bars, and bread. Non-edible uses for oats include using it to make lotions and makeup, along with multiple medicines as well.