Known locally as the former University of British Columbia research farm at Oyster River, its 1746 acres contain a mixture of pastures, fields, and forested areas bordered by a river and the ocean. Salmon habitat restoration and hatchery programs are carried out by local conservation groups on parts of the property and a popular hiking trail runs along the shoreline. It has been a working farm since the early 1900s, and was donated to UBC as a research facility in 1962 by Barrett Montford, a wealthy New York investment banker who saw its uniqueness to the agricultural community.

Patrick Evans and his family business Evansdale Farms purchased the farm with the goal of saving it from being cut up into recreational properties and continuing its tradition as a farm serving the community. Their vision is to build a showpiece for the concepts of localized value-added agriculture and sustainability. The distillery is one part of a larger integrated vision to ensure the farm and its lands stay pristine, verdant and productive for years to come.