Sweet Oat
Vitality from Heritage Grains
Project information
| Project | Sweet Oat – Vitality from Heritage Grains |
| Duration | 1 September 2025 – 31 December 2027 |
| Partners | Häme University of Applied Sciences (coordinator), Natural Resources Institute Finland, Novia University of Applied Sciences |
| Funders | the European Union (National Rural Development Project), Häme Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment |
| Budget | 227 306 € |
In the Sweet Oat project we promote the cultivation of landrace oats and old varieties suitable for organic production and cultivation in a changing climate.
By encouraging farmers to produce heritage grain oat and old varieties, biodiversity and national security of food supply are strengthened and the trend towards monopolization of farming is reversed. At the farm level, economic value can also be obtained in the form of special products, for example, further processed foods or animal fodder as part of the specialization of enterprises.
The introduction of landrace oat and old oat varieties into cultivation requires information about the characteristics and cultivation requirements of the varieties. In addition to collecting scattered historical old information, we will compile new information related to changed cultivation conditions and usage needs. The information will be shared in a variety of ways at events and online. We will collect the information of traits and sorts on a Viljalaari website. The information will also be shared in journals, as fact cards and in the form of an e-book. In the project we will organize webinars and national and international events. Information production and exchange in the networks will take place in Finnish, Swedish and English.
Target group
The primary target group of the project is organic farmers and the farmer network propagating heritage grains and old varieties. The beneficiaries are all farmers, food processors, researchers, teachers in the field, advisors and consumers.
Operating area
Finland
Results
Korpela, Jenny (2025). Oat photo collection from databases. Maatilaympäristön monimuotiosuus 2025. Project task.
Garnet, Lorens. 48 Oat Recipies from 1875–1954. Recipies from Finland, England and USA. Maatilaympäristön monimuotiosuus 2025. Project task.
Events
Presentation of national project webinar (in Finnish)
Poster presentation
at 12-15, in Finnish
at 12-15, in Finnish
Compiled information about the project
In the summer of 2026 and 2027, a field trial of heritage oats and old oat varieties will be established. The fields trials will also serve as propagation of seeds.
The field grain propagation network is looking for farmers, millers, sourdough bakers and consumers interested in heritage grains and old commercial varieties. Our hope is that heritage grain propagation will bring more diversity into cultivation.
By subscribing to the project newsletter, you will receive information about the project and other information about Finnish heritage grains and old varieties. The newsletters are published in three languages (Finnish, Swedish, English). Subscribe to the newsletter here.
The heritage grain propagation network website provides information about small seed lot propagation.
The field grain propagation network is being developed in the Sweet Oats – Vitality from Heritage Grains project.
Content
The project consists of four work packages, which are strengthening the farmer network, defining the cultivation and nutrient properties of landrace oats, piloting new usage opportunities, and collecting, compiling and storing data.
In this work package we utilize the propagation network developed in the Diversity in the Fields project (2021-2023) funded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. The network includes approximately 100 farmers across Finland. In the project we are strengthening the network of heritage grain farmers. The activities are developed by establishing regional cooperation networks and appointing regional heritage grain ambassadors. New farmers are recruited to the network to replace those who give up and change varieties. It is also necessary to strengthen the role of established heritage grain growing farmers. Applications for registration of new heritage grain varieties are promoted in cooperation with the Finnish Food Authority.
In this work package we carry out cultivation pilots in order to get information and assess usability of heritage oat and old oat varieties. Their crop and yield data, as well as nutrient properties, including avenanthramide, beta-glucans and oil content is assessed. You can get to know the cultivation pilot by participating in the field walks.
In this work package we will pilot new uses for heritage oats and old oat varieties as a specialty food in business cooperation. There will also be carried out some fodder trials with horses and studies of straw fiber possible use. We will collect traditional oat recipes, and new ideas will be generated, among other things in a food webinar. A few of these recipes will be selected for testing. Straw is a multipurpose material that has traditionally been used a lot. The straw webinar will present old uses and generate new ideas.
In this work project we will compile new and old cultivation and use data on heritage oats. Old data will be compiled from old studies and other materials. The data compilation of the gene bank collection data will be done in the NordGen archive in Alnarp, Sweden. New data will be generated in pilots and compiled by variety. We will add Variety-specific data to the Viljalaari website in Finnish and in English. Oat recipes will be compiled in a separate publication. The results of the project will be compiled into an e-book about Finnish heritage oats. In the project we will produce multimedia information material, including podcasts and videos.
Contact information
Maarit Heinonen
Researcher
Luonnonvarakeskus
maarit.heinonen@luke.fi
+358295326117
Heidi Barman-Geust
Project leader
Novia University of Applied Sciences
heidi.barman-geust@novia.fi
+358444498101
