Serenity — and hard work — on the farm
Curious about the history of the farm? The Laconia Daily Sun recently published this wonderful article about our amazing and fearless leader, Diane, and will tell you all about it!
“Surrounded by breathtaking views, a well-built home, and multiple generations of family, Diane Loudon has worked hard for all she has accomplished...”
ALTON — Surrounded by breathtaking views, a well-built home, and multiple generations of family, Diane Loudon has worked hard for all she has accomplished.
The large red barn situated on the 300-acre property and within sight of her house is the icing on the cake at Cold Spring Farm LLC. It holds special memories for Loudon, and was built over time by her husband, Alan Loudon. “We were living in Alton Bay while looking for permanent property,” Diane Loudon says while sitting at a table on the second floor of the barn event space. “Alan searched for the place he wanted, and eventually found it here, atop Alton Mountain.”
“The house has a 10-foot basement, and it is situated for winter sunsets, and it is passive solar,” Loudon explains.
The idea of the barn serving as a spot for events came about in 2019 when Loudon’s niece used it for her wedding. It was obvious the barn would be a good place for celebrations, and Loudon moved forward with a plan to hold weddings and events there. She showed a complete and detailed PowerPoint presentation to Alton town officials and was approved to use the barn for events. It was a bold move, and one that took courage and hard work, but Loudon shrugs it off, saying she wants to create something enduring for her children and for future generations.
“I think we have been successful because the property has a good combination of things: It is visually pleasing, with wonderful views, good amenities, and a patio. But it is more than that. There is a serenity and magic here,” Loudon says.
Running an event/wedding venue was not always in Loudon’s life plan. With an impressive background, she attended Central New England College and received an undergraduate degree in accounting and industrial engineering and a master’s degree from Syracuse University.
“I was recruited for a job right out of college; at the time there were few women in the engineering field. I later went back for a refresher course at Dartmouth,” Loudon explains. Although it takes a high degree of intelligence to hold the positions she had in her career, Loudon is modest when saying, “Engineering is fun.”
During her career, Loudon became plant manager of a big firm and eventually married and had a son and daughter. She later relocated to the Lakes Region for her job and that is how, after a search for the perfect property, Cold Spring Farm came to be.
While she currently sits on three small manufacturing company boards and travels for work now and then, Loudon’s heart and soul are on the mountaintop where she can watch the sun rise and set, delight in her American Indian ponies frolicking through the fields and enjoy the land. She is supported in her efforts by her daughter, Sarah, who is the director of events at Cold Spring Farm. Her son, Zachary, is supportive as well.
“I just can’t seem to leave this place alone, and I can’t explain it,” Loudon says when talking about future expansions for the farm. “I want people to see the farm for the serenity we have here.”
While Alan Loudon is not around to share in the success of the property, he is always in his wife’s mind and heart. She thinks he would be proud of the direction she has taken and the careful use of the land.
Loudon concludes, “If you look for it, a lot goes right in life. We now have four generations living on-site, and it works well. I truly love living here.”
