PACIFIC NORTHWEST GROWN. Oat (Avena sativa) Tops, Whole, Certified Organic Common names: Milky Oats, Avoine, Atiyav, Javi, Mundyav, Haver, Paile, Shoofan, Yavalu, Biwen, Yuvika, Gruau, Yan Mai, Hartamaan, Guggillu Family: Poaceae Oats are an annual grain crop that flourishes in temperate areas, more tolerant of cool temperatures and rainy summers than other grains. The wild ancestors of Oats are believed to have originated in the Fertile Crescent, the cradle of Eurasian civilization. Major zones of Oat cultivation today include the European Union, Russia, Canada, Poland, Australia, and Finland. Oats are a familiar food, and Oat Tops have a less well-known but well-established reputation as an herbal medicine.