Grand Farm honors Cindy Schreiber-Beck with permanent sculpture

WHEATLAND, N.D. — Friends, family members and community leaders gathered at the Grand Farm Innovation Campus June 18 to honor the life and legacy of founding board member Cindy Schreiber-Beck with the dedication of a permanent sculpture. The artwork, created by Minnesota artist Ken Nyberg, was unveiled during a ceremony attended by approximately 100 people. The sculpture, constructed from reclaimed lawnmower blades, takes the shape of a Möbius loop — an infinite circle that also serves as a bench for visitors. ADVERTISEMENT According to Grand Farm Board Chair Greg Tehven, the dedication was a fitting tribute to Schreiber-Beck, whose contributions helped shape the organization from its earliest days. “When Grand Farm started in 2019, we were so fortunate that Rep. Cindy Schreiber-Beck was willing to serve on our board of directors,” Tehven said. “She was a founding board member and had been with us up until her passing.” Tehven said Grand Farm had long envisioned incorporating public art into its campus and saw an opportunity to honor Schreiber-Beck’s impact on agriculture, innovation and rural communities. “We felt it was appropriate to commission an artist to capture her legacy and put it on permanent display at Grand Farm,” he said. Schreiber-Beck played a significant role in the organization’s development. Tehven credited her with helping establish governance structures, participating in site selection efforts that led to Cass County becoming Grand Farm’s permanent home and advocating for the organization’s mission with state lawmakers. “She was a champion for us,” Tehven said. “She was a friend, she was a mentor, she was a cheerleader and she was willing to give us feedback on how we could get better.” The event was both celebratory and emotional for those who knew her. ADVERTISEMENT “Today was a day I didn’t want to come,” Tehven said. “I was excited to celebrate Cindy, but I was also sad because I still miss her.” Guests heard reflections from family members, friends and colleagues. Schreiber-Beck’s granddaughter, Echo Juliett, unveiled the sculpture by removing the covering from the artwork during the ceremony. Tehven described Schreiber-Beck as someone with “a big heart and a low ego” who focused on serving others rather than seeking recognition. “She was the type of person that wasn’t worried about who got the credit as long as meaningful work got done,” he said. The sculpture’s creator, Ken Nyberg of Vining, Minnesota, has a long history of creating public art throughout the region. Although Nyberg, 88, was unable to attend the ceremony, his daughter, former NASA astronaut and University of North Dakota graduate Karen Nyberg, attended on behalf of the family. For Tehven, the artwork reflects three major themes that defined Schreiber-Beck’s life: education, agriculture and aviation. “I think it’s the intersection of those three things that’s going to lead North Dakota and our country forward,” he said. ADVERTISEMENT The sculpture has been installed near the main entrance of the Grand Farm campus, where visitors can stop, reflect and engage with the artwork. Jay Schuler, a friend of Schreiber-Beck and a founding Grand Farm board member, said the sculpture captures the qualities that made her unique. “The sculpture was unique and original,” Schuler said. “It fit Cindy’s personality perfectly because Cindy was one of a kind.” Schuler said Schreiber-Beck was known for her creativity, innovation and dedication to helping others. “She was concerned about education, agriculture and aviation,” he said. “She was always looking out for what was best for other people.” He hopes future visitors to Grand Farm will remember Schreiber-Beck’s role in helping make the organization possible. “She was innovative and creative, and she was one of the founding board members that made Grand Farm a possibility,” Schuler said. ADVERTISEMENT As Grand Farm continues to grow from a North Dakota initiative into a nationally recognized model for agricultural innovation, leaders say Schreiber-Beck’s influence remains woven into the organization’s mission. “I think Cindy believed in good governance and working statewide,” Tehven said. “Her legacy shows up in our commitment to engage people from all backgrounds and think about what’s possible when education, aviation and agriculture come together.”