Ontario man posts his farm on Kijiji for free. Here's why
Digital Reporter
Sunday, April 9, 2017, 5:57 PM - This is the kind of offer you can't refuse.
Stephen Overbury is giving away his waterfront farm, including four barns, a 1830s beautiful stone home, some equipment and a vehicle, "ABSOLUTELY FREE OF CHARGE," according to a Kijiji ad he posted to the job section of the website last week.
The 62-year-old's farm is located near Smiths Falls in eastern Ontario. The ad titled "HARD WORKING POSITION WITHOUT PAY (honest!)" was posted on April 5 and has since been viewed over 128,000 times.
Overbury is looking for the perfect person to take over his humble abode as he is planning on moving back to Japan where he lived for about 15 years, according to CBC.
Why has he decided to give away his fortune instead of selling it? Here's the catch: you have to be an animal lover and not afraid to get your hands dirty.
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HARD WORKING POSITION WITHOUT PAY (honest!) | other | Ottawa | Kijiji
hard working job without pay. only a sense of meaning. let's face it. by definition we are judged by how productive we are in society (ie, how much money we earn.) has it brought you happiness and given you purpose and meaning?
"[Selling] is conventional thinking, the prudent way of thinking about yourself and what's best for yourself," Overbury told the news agency. "By selling the farm, first I'd have to dispose of the animals. And a number of them are older, and a few are special-needs. And that's what I call reckless abandonment."
Overbury will pay the cost of food and vet bills for the array of animals on the farm including, cows, chickens, ducks and sheep, according to CBC.
(Overbury has written a blog post explaining in more detail that anyone who takes him up on his offer will have to work hard and care for the animals, which you can find here).
"The catch for assuming usage of this stellar property, make no mistake about it, is HARD WORK and total COMMITMENT to making use of the property and showing a genuine interest in animal welfare," the ad reads. "Here, no animal is killed. I am vegan oriented but you need not to be of course as long as you live and let live. And THINK GREEN."
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While the farmer briefly looked into relocating his animals, he told CBC that it would take "decades" to find the right home for each one.
Overbury has received hundreds of offers so far, the news agency reports.
If he can't find the perfect candidate, Overbury plans on staying in Ontario. However, he has high hopes that the right person will come along.
"It's not a matter of giving [the land] up," he told CBC. "I never had it, as such. We're but custodians of real estate, [which] is my philosophy, my own personal philosophy," Overbury added.
"And I know that somebody else coming in, that's the right fit, will treat the animals with compassion -- and I'll benefit from that comfort."
EDITOR'S NOTE: The land does not change ownership, but rather tenants would live on the farm rent free. We apologize for any confusion.
