Grünkern (German pronunciation: [ˈɡʁyːnkɛʁn], 'green kernel') is spelt that has been harvested when half ripe and then artificially dried. In response to periods of adverse weather, which destroyed crops, spelt was harvested before it was completely ripe, during the so-called 'dough-ripe phase', at about 50% moisture content. Because the dried kernels exhibited a pleasing flavor when cooked in water, it became traditional to harvest a portion of the spelt crop as grünkern. The primary harvesting period at the end of July is also seen in old folk proverbs, such as: