Karen and Tony Glassford, whose Dougalston farm encompasses the cemetery, appealed for help to repair damaged and degraded graves as part of a long-term upgrade to mark the 140th anniversary of the first recorded burial at the site.
Their telephone had been "red hot" since, they said.
"It's opened every door we could have wished for.
"The response we've had has been unbelievable.
"People are just so excited about what we are doing," Mrs Glassford said.
Damaged headstones, fences, graves, and plots needed repairing, a sheltering row of trees had to be removed, and unmarked plots needed to be identified and officially recorded.
An old ride-on lawnmower would also be required for maintenance, Mrs Glassford said.
The cemetery, situated about 10km northwest of Lauder, is still in use and open to the public through the Glassfords' farm - providing consideration is taken with gates.
Mr and Mrs Glassford look after the amenity and keep records of who is buried within the small plot area, as well as associated historical data.
They had hoped descendants of those buried would be able to provide missing information, help with planned repairs, or choose to upgrade family graves independently.
About 165 people are known to be buried at the cemetery, although some do not have headstones and others are not known to local people or mentioned in recorded data.
Thomas Greenback was buried first in the cemetery after accidentally drowning on February 28, 1870, aged 18 months.
Mr Glassford, who is the treasurer and secretary of the Drybread Cemetery Trust, said a Dunback arborist had offered to fell the 140-year-old pine trees planted to shelter the cemetery from prevailing winds.
Branches had fallen on graves - smashing headstones - and roots had pushed aside concrete plots and warped grave fences.
The removal of pines would also free up an additional 12 plots.
Arborist Stephen Peat would fell and ring the trees for the cost of his chainsaw fuel and oil, and money made from selling the firewood would go towards repair costs, Mr Glassford said.
Galloway resident Stephen Tillyshort, whose father was a monumental mason, had also offered to repair some of the headstones.
"He learned how to do the lead lettering on monumental gravestones, and his father did a lot of the original work on the Drybread Cemetery graves," Mr Glassford said.
Representatives of the Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust of New Zealand had contacted the Glassfords to provide advice about raising funds from appropriate organisations and how to register the cemetery trust as an incorporated charitable trust in order to do so.
Others from Dunedin Monumental Masons Ltd were prepared to help with an inventory of the cemetery, and a Springvale solicitor had offered his services.
Some people had sent monetary donations to help with the upgrade.
Others had provided historical information about Drybread and its residents, which was proving invaluable for fellow cemetery trust member Ross Naylor, who was writing a book about the wider area.
Mr Naylor, of Matakanui, had been researching his book for about 10 years and was delighted with what had been discovered in the past month.
"He thinks we've struck the jackpot.
"We are all learning things none of us knew about the place we live, which is amazing," Mrs Glassford said.
Eventually the Glassfords hope to establish a Drybread Cemetery website.
• Anyone wanting to help or with information about the cemetery or surrounding area can email karen&tony@scorch.co.nz or Mr Naylor at spennymoor @ ruralinzone. net.
