Aug 18, 2026
By Rick McNary
As Shanda Mattix describes the home near Colby where she and her husband, Caleb, are raising their two children, she recalls helping build that very home when she was in sixth grade.
“Dad and Mom built this entire home by their hands,” Shanda says. “I remember laying cinder blocks to build the basement walls and Dad taught me all the things about construction like wiring, plumbing, framing, sheetrock and all of it. My room was my room to do all the things in!”
While Shanda’s parents, Bill and Sue Draper, both had jobs in Colby, their first love was raising cattle and horses. Like many farm and ranch families, they were heavily involved in 4-H and other volunteer opportunities in the community. Shanda began riding and showing horses in the 4-H horse project and planned to go to Kansas State University and join the equestrian program there.
However, her father received a heartbreaking cancer diagnosis which required frequent and numerous trips to MD Anderson Hospital in Houston. Shanda decided to stay home and attend Colby Community College where she became a part of the equestrian program. Along with her mother, Sue, they took care of the cattle operation.
Upon finishing her two years at Colby, her parents insisted she continue her studies at K-State. Her father passed away while she was still in school, and family members and neighbors helped her mom keep the cattle operation going. Shanda met Caleb while at K-State and upon graduation, she had the opportunity to travel to Botswana, Africa where she spent time teaching at a low-income school as well as volunteering at a game preserve.
Upon returning home and marrying Caleb, they became more heavily involved in the cattle operation then purchased the home when Sue decided it was time they took over the ranch.
Shanda began teaching and coaching at Colby Community College and had a career there for 19 years as the equine program director and equestrian team coach.
In addition to raising cattle the conventional way, Caleb and Shanda began to sell some of their beef to local friends and family. Once COVID-19 hit in 2020, the demand from local people wanting to purchase directly from the ranch exploded their direct-to-consumer business.
Along the way, Shanda discovered she had a knack for design, so they began, “Barnwood and Bling,” a retail store that sells re-purposed and re-furbished home decor with a ranch-house flair as well as garments and accessories for western women. In addition, they have expanded that store to sell their beef, and they host classes such as the recent Smashburger Class.
Like many farm families who diversify revenue streams in order to remain viable, they turned a local house known to their family as, “The West Place,” into a delightful Airbnb filled with many of Shanda’s furniture designs and decorative items. Find it at The West Place Ranch House.
“The best part of what we do, we do as a family,” Shanda says. “We have the privilege of working the M-Arrow Ranch like I did as a child. Caleb has a portable welding and a large equipment business and serves on the Kansas Farm Bureau Board of Directors. With all the things we do, we include the children in all aspects like I was raised to do. Our daughter, Morgan, and our son, Rawlins, are an everyday part of our ranching and retail business.”
Barnwood and Bling is housed in a beautiful barn they built, of course, by themselves and with their children. It’s just a couple of minutes off Interstate 70 and right along Highway 24.
Shanda and Caleb embody the entrepreneurial spirit of young farmers and ranchers who believe entrepreneurs drive innovation and innovation drives commerce and commerce create prosperous communities.
Stop in and see them and let them know we sent you. And, by all means, purchase their products because that’s what we at Shop Kansas Farms love to see — our farmers and ranchers growing their businesses!
Shanda is part of our ongoing series celebrating the international year of the woman farmer and rancher.
Website: M Arrow Ranch Co
Facebook: Barnwood and Bling
Instagram: Barnwood and Bling