Four alpacas named Rose, Frankie, Hope and Mercer are once again the stars of fall at the Blue Springs farm now known as Powell Gardens Colonial Farms, where staff are hosting a Fall Fest featuring alpaca brunches several times throughout the season. Visitors can enjoy farm-to-table boxed lunches alongside the animals, with the farm also stocking autumn plants and preparing to open its pumpkin patch next month.
The brunches mark a return to a beloved tradition at the site, which spent years operating as Colonial Gardens before Powell Gardens acquired the property in February 2026, according to FOX4KC. The station reports the location has since been renamed Colonial Farms and now hosts interactive animal events alongside its retail and educational offerings. Colonial Farms staff also provide on-site guidance to visitors about how and when to plant, per the station's report.
Meet the Herd: From a Guardian to the Food-Pusher
Each of the four alpacas has a distinct personality, per the same account. Rose serves as the pack leader and guardian of the group, while Mercer is described as the star alpaca with beautiful eyelashes who loves attention. Hope, meanwhile, has earned a reputation as the noisiest of the bunch.
Frankie, at 18 years old, is the oldest of the group and known as the most food-pushy alpaca, the station notes. The alpacas participating in this fall's events range between 6 and 18 years old. Veterinary and agricultural extension research from Oklahoma State University Extension indicates domestic alpacas have a life span of 20 years or more. Missouri also has an alpaca-raising tradition of its own.
A New Owner With Deep Roots in Kansas City Horticulture
The rebrand reflects a bigger transition behind the scenes. Colonial Gardens was originally established in Blue Springs in 1969 as a local nursery before landscape entrepreneur Tory Schwope purchased it in 2016 and renovated the property in 2018 as the business moved toward agritourism, according to the Lee's Summit Chamber of Commerce. Schwope later founded DCA Outdoor as a holding company that assembled a portfolio of a dozen landscape brands, but the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2025 with up to $100 million in liabilities, as reported by ElevenFlo Research.
Powell Gardens, the Kansas City area's premier botanical organization, acquired the site in February 2026 through a $6 million asset sale. The purchase was financed through philanthropic gifts from the Powell Family Foundation, a core donor since Powell Gardens was founded in 1988, and the Chicago-based Matthew Zell Family Foundation, according to Green Profit. Powell Gardens officially launched the rebranded location with a media ribbon-cutting on March 20, 2026, followed by a public grand opening celebration the next day, featuring gardening demonstrations and farm animal tours, per Public Gardens.
Part of a Larger Regenerative Agriculture Mission
Colonial Farms now functions as an operational extension of Powell Gardens' Midwest Center for Regenerative Agriculture, hosting public programming centered on sustainable farming, native plant gardening, orcharding, and rotational livestock grazing, according to Lawn & Garden Retailer. That center uses livestock grazing to help improve soil health and clear invasive plant species. Powell Gardens also maintains its main botanical garden campus.
Annual Powell Gardens members receive perks at Colonial Farms, including a 10% retail discount, early access to seasonal U-Pick harvests, and 10% off at Whistle Stop Coffee. Previous iterations of the Alpaca Brunch at the Blue Springs farm are part of the site's alpaca-brunch tradition. The Colonial Farms Pumpkin Patch is scheduled to open in September 2026, continuing the site's move toward agritourism.
