question about "ready time"

The instructions for Northern Brewer's kits say that all their recipes allow for two weeks in the primary, two weeks for bottling, with the remaining "ready time" being the amount of time the beer should stay in the secondary fermenter. Is that accurate? By that logic, the six month ready time for my barleywine would mean it has to stay in the secondary fermenter for five months? It would also means two months in the secondary fermenter for my double IPA, but two months in the secondary fermenter can't be good for the dry hopping.

Does this sound right, or can I bottle after two weeks in secondary and allow the rest of the time for bottle conditioning? I only have one secondary fermenter, so I'll be bummed if I have to wait until October to brew my next batch (a kit which I have already purchased).

Not all Faniliar with Norther Brewer Kits but like alot of Kits 7 - 10 Days primary, with 1-2 weeks Seconday, Bottle, then Condition what ever the Recommended time in the Directions. atleast 2 Weeks usually..

To be honest, I don't secondary anymore unless I am dry-hopping, and the results are at least as good if not better. It just gives the yeast more quality time to clean up after themselves. You just have to be a little more careful siphoning to the bottling bucket so you don't pick up any trub from the bottom.
That being said, I would go 3 to 4 weeks on the yeast cake in primary, then straight to bottle. Then give it 3 weeks in the bottle minimum to condition before drinking.

I'd probably give barleywine a bit extra time in the primary and secondary, but most of the long aging time will happen just fine in bottles.