Feathers & Fermentation: On Foot Edition

Join Wes Homoya — native Hoosier, avid birder, international nature guide, and ardent conservationist — for another quarterly installment of everyone's favorite local birdin' n boozin' brew bus benefit bash, as we explore nature and enjoy quality adult beverages together for good causes. Except this time there's no brew bus, for a new twist on the concept.

We meet and begin our adventure at 2 p.m. at Ash & Elm Cider Co.'s Carmel location, the first time this event has visited the cidery. Here we'll enjoy a guided tasting, time to enjoy a glass of your preference if you like, and make sure our water bottles are filled for our stroll.

Rather than hopping onto a bus, we'll saunter about a quarter mile east to the brand spankin' new Fields Market Garden, a nonprofit urban farm working to cultivate connections in the community. Our hosts will give us a tour of the property, share their vision for the farm, and help us look for birds around the grounds. Then we'll head inside for a DIY bouquet-and-vase workshop. You'll get to take your bouquet home at the end of the day.

Wrapping up at the farm, the sauntering continues 0.1 mile east to the Monon Trail, perhaps Indy's most famous and popular pedestrian pathway. We'll bird and walk about two-thirds of a mile south until we reach Sun King in downtown Carmel. More beverages and shenanigans await in their spacious taproom.

Another two-thirds of a mile will take us northwest to Meadowlark Park, where we probably won't see any meadowlarks, but we will certainly see some fun birds, particularly as we head west along the forested trail back toward Smoky Row. This trail jaunt, plus the sidewalk mosey back to Ash & Elm, adds another three-quarters of a mile or so.

In total, we're looking at about a 2.5-mile walk. You don't need to be a professional speed walker, but please come prepared to cover that distance at a moderate pace.

Once we're back at Ash & Elm, everyone is invited to stick around, have dinner and more drinks, and chat about birds and nature until it's time to head home.

Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring binoculars if you have them. We'll also have a limited number available to borrow. Whether you've never been birding before or consider yourself an expert, you're most welcome.