Pharmacy School?

Working up the courage to apply to farm school has been one thing.  Working up the courage to tell people about it has been another.  Some of the conversations have gone well.  In breaking the news to my dad, I found out for the first time he had harbored dreams of being a farmer too.  He later filled me in on the details by email:

My interest in farming was maybe sparked by a feeling that I really did not enjoy law school.  I actually sent letters to several organic farms near Franklin in the Macon County area during my second year at Stetson inquiring about summer farm work (whose addresses I got from Prevention Magazine).  But none of those farmers ever responded, so I ended up law clerking in Bryson City that summer, and that experienced cemented my affinity for the mountains of western North Carolina.

But most conversations go along the lines of the one Dina had with her Grandmother, Dorothy, shown below with one of the chickens that bears her name.

<ring ring>Grandma: HelloDina: Hi, Granmda.Grandma: Oh, Dina! How's my adorable Dina?Dina: She's good. . . how's my adorable Grandma?Grandma: Not always so adorable, but she's good too. What's new?Dina: Busy weekend. We had some friends over for dinner, cleaned the house, did some editing, and Erik had an interview out at the Farm School.Grandma: What?Dina: We decided to send Erik to Farm School.Grandma: Pharmacy school?Dina: No, F-A-R-M School. As in Farming. With dirt and vegetables and cows.Grandma: What?! Where's he going to do that?Dina: About an hour and a half outside of Boston in a place called Athol.Grandma: When does that start?Dina: Not 'til October, and it's for a year.Grandma: Oy vey. An hour and half. How often does he have to go?Dina: Every day.Grandma: Can he take some of the classes online?Dina: (hysterical laughter)Grandma: What? What?? (starts to laugh)Dina: Grandma . . . online? It's farming. You need a farm. He will live on the farm for a year.Grandma: Well, I don't know, all sorts of schools have online classes.Dina: Don't be ridiculous. That's like taking an online figure skating course. I can't wait to tell Erik you suggested he take Farm School courses online. Amazing.Grandma: This is the craziest thing I've ever heard!Dina: (still laughing) Well, that's honest. No one seems to know what to say, so at least you say it's crazy. That's fair!Grandma: He wants to be a farmer? Ah you guys. I'm sure you'll be great.Dina: Thanks, Grandma. We'll keep you posted. . .