A unique help wanted ad from a business in Cape Breton that offered a job and free land has generated thousands of inquiries, and now, three keen workers from British Columbia are ready to make the move east.

The Farmer's Daughter Country Market in Whycocomagh, N.S., received more than 3,500 applications since the ad was posted in late August, and, as co-owner Sandee MacLean says, they keep coming in.

“There's people from Australia, people from China, England and different parts of Europe,” MacLean said. “Even countries I have to look up on the map to see actually where they are. Then there's resumes in different languages and we don't have a translator.”

After weeks of searching through the inquiries, MacLean sent out questionnaires and conducted interviews over Skype.

They eventually hired three people – all from British Columbia – that will arrive in two weeks.

“The first person we selected is a single mom and her daughter. Her daughter is ten years old and she's originally a mortgage broker. They are coming from Vancouver,” said MacLean.

“The second people that we chose was a family and they have two young children a boy and a girl. He actually lost his job this year and decided to leave the rat race of Vancouver behind. The final couple is a married couple.”

Melody Ferguson is in charge of scheduling at the farmers market, a task that hasn't been easy this summer with a short staff that's been run off their feet.

“There's only four adults for the deli seven days a week,” Ferguson said. “It's hard to spread those out. We have a few students, but you can't work them seven days a week with school.”

The owners say they'll be hiring more people in the spring and the offer of free land comes with it.

As part of the deal, those hired have to work at the store for five years. They'll receive the usual salary. It's up to them to pay the legal fees for the land, but that isn't stopping people from applying.

“What we are going to do is line up everyone we would like to have this spring and send out those offers by the first or second week in October,” said MacLean.

MacLean says they'll be looking for people with a positive attitude and a good fit for their small community.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kyle Moore.