Mike Charles is a sixth-generation poultry farmer from Lancaster County, PA.

Mike was born and raised in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. From a young age, growing up around local farmers through his father’s butcher shop, he had a dream to start his own chicken farm. When it came time to do it, he had had one goal in mind, which was to raise and produce the most beautiful chickens he could find.

In this journey to raising the most beautiful chickens, Mike ended up in France, where he discovered the La Belle Rouge breed, a heritage breed known around the world. This breed is naturally slow-growing, taking about twice as long to reach maturity than it does for conventional birds. They are also vigorous and active, climbing on hay bales and perches, foraging each morning.

Mike branded his new breed of chicken "La Belle Patrimoine" which is French for "The Beautiful Heritage,” a fitting name for a breed raised the way chickens are meant to be raised.