It turns out giving away the farm is a lot harder than you might think.

Stephen Overbury is looking for someone to live rent-free on his farm near Smiths Falls, Ont., so he can move back to Japan permanently.

The catch? They'd have to run it, and take care of all the animals, without pay.

The menagerie includes a rooster named Alarm Clock, Lucky the miniature pony, two Holstein cows, four sheep, "an incredible number of cats," chickens, ducks and more.

"You name it. It's a Noah's Ark," Overbury told Ottawa Morning Tuesday.

'Tidal wave of distraction'

About three weeks ago, Overbury, 62, posted an ad on the classified website Kijiji, hoping to drum up interest.

To say the colourfully written ad has attracted attention is an understatement: about 185,000 people have viewed it online, and a CBC News story about Overbury's search has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.

It's all resulted in more interest than Overbury can handle.

So far he claims he's received about 15,000 emails and thousand of letters by post, some in fancy envelopes, gifts and knick-knacks. People have come to his door, argued with each other on his lawn, even knocked on neighbours' doors to track him down. He's even plastered newspaper over his windows to make people think no one's home.

Overbury owns the farmhouse and doesn't want to sell. (Stu Mills/CBC)

And still the missives pile up.

"I have to first of all read these things, and I'm finding myself with less and less time to do anything. I mean, even going to the bathroom is prying myself away from the tidal wave of distraction," Overbury said.

"The purpose of the ad was really to move on, to sort my affairs out.... But now with this phenomenon, which is the thing going viral — something I truly didn't understand — I need three full-time people just to manage what going viral means."

No dreamers allowed

He's heard from professional farmers, curiosity-seekers, people looking for change in their lives, and more than a few dreamers, "some of which were like me — that's not a fit, really," Overbury said. "I jumped in somewhat over my head by taking on a property that's really too much for one person to handle."

This photo of two Holstein cows on Overbury's farm is part of the online ad, which has been viewed about 185,000 times. (Kijiji)

Ideally, a couple or a group of people would live there and split the chores. They can't be financially insolvent and would hopefully have their own home-based business to generate income.

And no killing of any animals. Snakes and mice and rats, groundhogs and porcupines and skunks — they must all be left alone.

Listen to more of the interview with Overbury here.

Made promised to animals

"Make it easy for me to say, 'Please come over.' Have a sustainable plan. How are they going to live to realize this somewhat unusual dream-like existence of looking after the animals?" Overbury said.

"They have to have some money behind them or an income coming in independent of this in order to carry on. Hydro's not free, the telephone line, their food and so forth — they can't live off of a peach orchard idea, that wouldn't fly."

The 62-year-old, shown feeding some of his sheep, says whoever takes over the farm will have to be a tried-and-true animal lover. (CBC)

With all the interest proving overwhelming, why not sell? Overbury said he can't stomach the thought.

"I'm somewhat of an extremist I guess in terms of my views and the views of society as a whole. When I brought the animals here I promised them, I took on a responsibility, to look after their welfare forever," he says.