By Julie Tomascik

Red tractor. Pink trailer. Chickens, a lamb, a calf. And a good pair of overalls.

Farmer & Tractor Barbie is outfitted to bring agriculture to young girls.

She’s back for her third year through the Careers Barbie line, and she’s showing girls that career goals can include agriculture.

While agriculture has long been considered a man’s arena, women are stepping up and taking a more active role on Texas farms and ranches.

In the U.S., one million women are involved in daily farm and ranch decisions.

From 2007 to 2012, the number of women operators grew by 10 percent, bucking the national decline. That’s more than 38,000 women operating farms in the Lone Star State, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

And it’s more than any other state in the nation.

Farmer. Rancher. Or both. It’s a job women don’t take lightly.

Their careful thought, passion and energy make women farmers ideal to tend the soil, grow crops and raise livestock.

When you think of a farmer, think of a woman with leadership skills, knowledge and experience. Because she’s growing our food and fiber. And our families.

No, not everyone wears overalls like this Barbie. In fact, most don’t. And your hair doesn’t usually look that pretty while farming. But the cows don’t care how you look.

So hook up the trailer, swing open the gate and start farming.

And I still think she’d make a great Christmas gift for a young girl—granddaughter, daughter, niece or cousin. You still have a few days to buy one!