Serenity — and hard work — on the farm

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.”

Once he found the land, Alan asked his wife if she was up for the process and potential headaches of him building their home and barn.

She remembers, “I was working outside the home at the time [she is an industrial engineer by profession], but we knew the area because my parents had a summer place in New Hampshire. When Alan found this property, it had been extensively logged. It took quite some time to clear it up, and to make roads and pastures.”

With a talent for carpentry, Alan Loudon built the barn before constructing the home he would come to share with his wife. This was because a storage structure was needed where he could keep his equipment.

“The barn was also designed with animals in mind,” Loudon says.

The large red barn is a thing of beauty, and these days a place for something entirely different than storing heavy equipment or housing animals. Sound of structure inside and out and attractive architecturally, the two-story barn features an eye-catching, soaring cupola. The barn has morphed into a place for events ranging from weddings to yoga retreats and concerts. Recently, the Alton Business Association and Cold Spring Farm hosted a Harvest Happenings event at the property, and it was well attended.

Sadly, Alan passed away a few years ago, but Diane Loudon soldiered on and built a busy and successful life surrounded by her family.

“This place has become an amazing canvas for me, but Alan prepared the path,” she says. There are now four generations residing at the land they named Cold Spring Farm, where everything is crafted to last. This is apparent when one looks at the amazing landscape and well-built, attractive home and buildings and grounds.

“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.”