Winter oats are not as hardy as other winter grains, and so they are grown chiefly in areas with mild winters. Oats are planted either by simply scattering the seeds over the field or by sowing the seeds with a grain drill. This machine drops the seeds into furrows and covers them with soil. Oats are harvested after the plants become dry and yellow and the seeds harden. The grain should not contain more than 12 to 14 percent moisture when harvested.
Farmers can take samples of the seed to a grain elevator for a moisture test.
Some oats are grown for hay or silage. Silage consists of chopped plant stalks, which are stored in a silo and used to feed livestock during the winter. Oats grown for hay or silage are harvested while the plants are still green and the seeds are soft. Before oat grain is made into human food products, the hulls are removed from the seeds at processing plants. Hulls are not removed from grain used as livestock feed.