Diamond J Custom Farming & Dairy
Merced, CA
Diamond J Custom Farming & Dairy
Merced, CA
Agricultural Trainee Programs
Agricultural Trainee Programs
Each year students participate in agricultural trainee programs that last one year on selected host farms. They come to further their education in the field of Agriculture and to gain the experience of working on the farm. If you would like to participate in these programs or would like to come and work for us please contact us directly or one of the links below:
Past Trainees:
RaeAnne vanTol
California
"I would just like to take the opportunity to express my gratitude to Wiebren and Luciana for letting me join your wonderful team during my small customer relation internship in December 2015. My experience was extremely rewarding. In addition to sharpening my communication skills and maturing professionally, I thoroughly enjoyed working with such a driven team of professionals. Diamond J truly cares about their customers and strives to be better than the best. It was a pleasure to interview your customers and privilege to hear and relate their feedback. Thank you for believing in my capabilities and giving me the opportunity to get out of my comfort zone and discover new strengths."
Frank Michielsen
Netherlands
"I started in the end of March 2010 for a period of 4-5 months to get an idea of how they farm in the Central Valley. I had a good time and had the opportunity to extend my Visa until the maximum of 12 months. I could experience the different kind of jobs for each season during that year. I had a great time with Diamond J Farms and look back often on my time in the USA. After a year of work you have 30 days tourist/travel Visa and I made a trip across the country before leaving the states."
Max Schulze-Kahleyss
Germany
"I have spent 3 months on the Diamond J Farms in 2010 and have enjoyed my stay in beautiful California very much. I have been able to apply my knowledge in farming from previous working experiences, but to also expand this knowledge through the work with the Diamond J crew. The working experience on Diamond J is something I don't want to miss. If I had the chance I would come back for another few months, so I can definitely recommend a working experience for other young farmers from all over the world. I am wishing Wiebren and Luciana all the best."
Martijn van Middelkoop
Netherlands
"I am Martijn van Middelkoop and I worked for Diamond J Farms from April until November 2011. I always wanted to work in the US, to see the country but more to experience the farming and the farm machines that are being used in the US. I choose California because everything is huge, the farms, the machines and the crops. And just as important: the weather is really nice!
I started working for Diamond J Farms just before the wheat season in 2011. And I always wanted to drive a chopper for a longer period. During my second day in California I was already operating the chopper, and that’s is what I wanted! Besides chopping wheat, alfalfa I also chopped corn. Back home in the Netherlands it’s always cold and wet when corn is harvested. And here in California it was sometimes more than 100 °F(about 40 °C) when we where harvesting corn. That’s totally the other world.
Besides chopping there is more: swathing, cultivating, planting, manure spreading and many other things. I did everything. Besides all the work on the fields I also helped maintaining tractors, swathers, choppers and the implements used for farming.
Next to working there was also time for a road trip through the West coast of the US. I saw several nationals parks, including Yosemite national park and the Grand Canyon. The beach of course, San Francisco, Alcatraz, Los Angeles and of course Las Vegas and more!
I learned a lot and it was nice to work for Diamond J Farms.
Thanks for everything Wiebren, Luciana and the rest of the team!!!"
Maarten Gijbels
Belguim
"I am Maarten Gijbels. From March 2012 until December 2012 I worked for Diamomd J Farms. I can say that my expectations were high, but they are even surpassed.
You can experience a different way of farming. Comparing with Belgium everything is big over there. You’ll get to now new great people, taste a different culture, …
Working for Diamond J Farms was a great experience. Great crew, nice equipment, good atmosphere to work in, …
At the end I made a trip trough California, and I can say it’s a wonderful state. Seen a lot of beautiful things there. I can keep talking about it, but one thing is for sure. I will never regret my decision to go work in California!
I had a great time there, and I want to say thank you again to Wiebren and Luciana, and the entire Diamond J Crew!!!"
Gerrit Kooijman
Holland
"My name is Gerrit Kooijman from Holland, and I worked for Diamond J Farms in 2012 from March till the end of December. And it was an experience that I’ll never forget! Nine months flew by like it was nothing! I was one of the chopper operators so I helped harvesting wheat and corn. I learned so much about the chopper and how to operate in the field.
Wiebren and Theo did a great job by teaching me everything about the machines! I think my time working for Diamond J Farms was one of the best experience that I ever had in my life. We worked long and hard days, but the people that I was working with were awesome! Everyday we had fun doing our job! There was not one day that I didn’t like to do my job. But beside work we had a lot of free time for ourselves too. California is a great state! The weather is perfect! And there are a lot of things to see across the state!
So I will absolutely recommend Diamond J Farms to young farmers like myself that wants to see more of the farming culture in the Central Valley! You will never forget the experience there! Great company! Wiebren, Luciana and Theo, Thanks again for everything!!"
