Lima Beans were an important cash crop in this area because they could be grown without irrigation. It was in use from the 1940s to 1986. It was donated to the museum by Frank Knechtal who used to take it from farm to farm to help with the lima bean harvest. This thrasher was adapted by Alwin Wiegand, a local farmer, from an earlier harvester type. It both harvested and bagged the beans.