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News and Updates from Sanborn Mills Farm
Loudon Grange Gets a Fresh Coat of History with Traditional Plaster Workshop
At the beginning of May, history met craftsmanship at the Loudon Grange, where the building’s storied walls were brought back to life with a fresh coat of traditional horsehair and lime plaster. Under the guidance of plasterer Emmett O’Carroll, a group of students participated in a hands-on workshop that combined skill-building, preservation, and community spirit.
Once a Methodist meeting house along the Soucook River in Loudon Village, the building later served as the Loudon Academy and, by 1899, became home to the Grange—a nationwide movement aimed at supporting farmers socially, economically, and politically. The Loudon Grange hosted everything from dinners and dances to Boy Scout ceremonies and beloved bingo nights. Over the decades, it passed from the Patrons of Husbandry to the American Legion, eventually ending up in the hands of the town, a little worn and weathered but rich with history. In 2021, the building was re-erected at Sanborn Mills on a new foundation, which now holds our natural dye studio. The steeple was finished last year with a bell, belfry, cupola, weathervane, finials, railings, and moulding.
During the workshop, students learned every step of traditional lime plastering—from lath preparation to applying scratch coats reinforced with horsehair, straight edging, Darby work, and finishing techniques using lime top coats. As the team worked, O’Carroll shared insights from his 19 years in the trade, which have taken him from Ireland to Australia to the United States, spanning everything from historic preservation to decorative finishes.
The project not only restored part of the Grange’s structure but also helped preserve the heritage skills that once built it. By combining hands-on education with meaningful restoration work, the Loudon Grange is once again serving the community, not with bingo cards or school plays this time, but as a living classroom where history and craft come together.
O’Carroll will be back on the Farm at the end of the season on November 22-23 for another plastering workshop—this time focused on Decorative Plaster and Mouldmaking. Participants will mix, pour, run, and shape plaster to produce a large ceiling centerpiece and run a cornice, even creating molds so their work can be replicated. He will also be at Open Farm Day on June 14th, demonstrating traditional plastering in the Grange.
To learn more about O’Carroll’s story, visit Story Preservation Initiative, or read about one of his recent projects with the New Hampshire Preservation Alliance.
Spring Planting
This past week, the rhythms of spring planting were powered not by machinery, but by the steady strength and skill of horses and their teamster. Sam, the farm’s draft horse teamster, hit the fields with her team to plant rows of corn the traditional way—using horse-drawn equipment and time-honored techniques.
Under Sam’s guidance, the horses worked in harmony, pulling an antique corn planter across freshly prepared soil.
Using horses for planting not only preserves a valuable part of agricultural heritage but also demonstrates the sustainable practices that Sanborn Mills Farm is committed to.
Spinning on a Wheel & Oxen Basics
Discover the rhythm and joy of spinning in this beginner-friendly workshop where you’ll learn the basics of wheel mechanics and create your first handspun yarn from natural and hand-dyed wool.
Curious about working with oxen? This hands-on two-day workshop will teach you everything from selecting and training a team to confidently driving them with equipment across Sanborn Mills Farm.
Sanborn Mills Farm | www.sanbornmills.org
Sanborn Mills Farm | 7097 Sanborn Road | Loudon, NH 03307 US