Most of you folks that order from us get to chat and email with Steve, the brains behind the curtain of this operation. I thought it would be nice to introduce myself here, since they don’t let me out of the farm very often.

My name’s Kirby, and I propogate corals. I’ve been doing this (swinging hammers, razor blades, band saws and other stuff at corals) for 14 years now. Back in 1995, things were a little different, but the basic principles haven’t changed. I spent a lot of time with Anthony Calfo at his greenhouse outside Pittsburgh and learned a lot of tricks of the trade. (There’s a right and wrong way to handle a razor blade? Good to know!)

Eventually I opened my own retail shop in North Versailles, Pennsylvania. Life rolled on, and after a series of events varying from unfortunate to fortunate, I landed in Lansinig, Michigan.

I’d met Rick Preuss briefly at conferences around the country and I always thought he was crazy. Not just because he’s got a wacky beard, but because he tried to make a really big pet store ethical AND successful. The really crazy part is: it’s working – for more than a quarter century! So after moving into this new 22,000 square foot retail destination, Steve and I proposed to Rick that we dedicate a whole section of the building to coral propogation and start selling the stuff all over the country. Rick was crazy enough to let us do it, and Crazy’s Ricks was born.

Thus, here I am, farming corals in the middle of Michigan. I hope you all like what we have to offer. I spend a lot of time nurturing these animals into beautiful encrusted frags and colonies. It’s kind of like sending my kids out into the world every time an order comes in. With over 100 WYSIWYG corals guaranteed online every day, you’re bound to find a few you’ll love. If you see something you like but want more of it or a bigger piece, feel free to drop us a line. Steve will run back to the farm, yell to me that a guy in Utah wants 30 more polyps of Purple Deaths, and I’ll get to work!

-Kirby Adams, Crazy Rick’s Coral Farmer