About
Meet Serra
My family and I continue to strive for a natural living lifestyle. I am a RN with a love for herbal medicine, natural birth, home birth and homesteading.
Hello! I’m Serra
Welcome to Pioneer Health Homestead! This is not your typical blog. I am passionate about a natural living, natural birth, home birth and homesteading lifestyle. As a registered nurse, I have seen and learned a lot about what true health entails. I have come to recognize how our medical and food systems are broken.
Here, I am sharing these lessons learned to all of you who are searching for answers. This has been a very long journey for myself and my family. I continue to learn new things every single day and just how to implement changes in our lives. This is not always an easy thing to do, and I hope that by creating Pioneer Health Ministry and the Pioneer Health and Homestead blog, that I can help others along this journey to better health.
My Background
Many years ago, I entered the medical field as a medical assistant and quickly went into the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman. In the Navy I served on the labor and delivery and the medical/surgical units for several years. It was while in the Navy that I challenged the LVN board and obtained my LVN license in California. Once I was a civilian again, I was able to continue my education in the nursing field. I went to California State University of Sacramento (CSUS) and completed the LVN to RN program. Shortly after that I finished my RN to BSN program.
I’ve held a multitude of different jobs such as a nurse at the Folsom state prison, working in skilled and assisted nursing facilities, managing dementia facilities and hospice teams. Most recently I was working in hospitals for bedside patient care. I was working on different adult units such as cardiac, neurology, orthopedic, medical and surgical and some others.
Journey to Natural Living
During these different jobs, I was seeing the medical system up close and personal. I was noticing that there wasn’t much healing happening but Band-Aids being put in place and the revolving door kept moving. In my eyes, this was not how the medical system should operate.
I was also battling personal health issues, migraines and infertility. I was barely functioning a lot of the time and constantly in and out of the emergency room for the migraines. Doctors could not tell me why I was having fertility issues or the inability to lose weight. Finally, with no medical explanation or medication could be given to help, I turned to “alternative medicine” such as essential oils. From there it was one thing after another: changing the foods we ate, learning about fragrances and other chemicals in our everyday lives and herbal medicines.
This has been a long journey and I’m still not where I want to be, but it does take time. It’s not something that can happen overnight unfortunately. I am still making swaps here and there as I can.
I have a passion for educating others on how they can make small changes to further their journey into natural living.
Natural Living, Birth and Homesteading Advocate
As I write this, I am currently pregnant with our 5th child. We are planning on our 3rd home birth, God willing. I am a huge advocate for home birth, or natural birth in general. If you’re interested in my birth experiences, please see the video HERE. I discuss my 2 first hospital births and what led us to home birth for the last 2 of our children thus far.
I also have a blog post on home birth to help encourage and empower women. You can find that post HERE. Please comment on your experiences or hesitations on the blog post so I can get to know my readers.
Homesteading Journey
Right before 2020 lockdowns hit, I was already planning my first ever backyard garden. From there it was chickens and then goats for a short time. I have over a 2000 sq ft raised bed garden on our 0.36-acre home in Paradise, California. We are still raising chickens and one day would love to have more property for livestock again. However, I am learning all I can about food sustainability and preserving. Along with continuing my gardening skills for the day I can have a large-scale farm.
My YouTube channel shows my progress in learning to homestead over the past several years. Please follow me there and let me know what you think.
We also homeschool our children. I love bringing them alongside me as I’m learning so that they can grow up learning healthier lifestyle habits.
- Herbal Calendula and Chamomile Sugar Scrub
Herbal Calendula and Chamomile Sugar Scrub There is something deeply satisfying about making simple body care products with herbs you already know and trust. Over time, I’ve learned that our skin responds best to gentle, nourishing ingredients, especially when they come straight from the apothecary shelf or pantry. This calendula chamomile sugar scrub is one… - Apple Mint and Lemon Balm Calm Tea
Apple Mint and Lemon Balm Calm Tea A Gentle, Comforting Blend for Stressful Days When the day feels a little too loud, or your mind just won’t slow down, apple mint and lemon balm calm tea is one of my favorite ways to create a pocket of peace. As a mom of five and an… - Spiced Orange & Clove Holiday Herbal Tea Recipe
Spiced Orange & Clove Holiday Herbal Tea This Spiced orange and clove holiday herbal tea is simply delicious. There’s nothing quite like wrapping my hands around a warm cup of tea on a chilly winter morning. The steam curls up, carrying the gentle, festive aroma of spices and citrus, and for a moment, the world… - Best Natural Christmas Gifts and DIY Ideas for 2025
Best Natural Christmas Gifts and DIY Ideas for 2025 The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, Naturally The holiday season has always been my favorite time of year — the cozy lights, homemade treats, and the joy of giving thoughtful gifts to the people I love. But over the years, I’ve noticed how easily the… - Best Herbal Medicine Books for Beginners
Best Herbal Medicine Books for Beginners The best herbal medicine books for beginners shaped my entire journey into natural healing. When I first stepped away from allopathic care as an RN, I needed guidance that felt steady and simple. I wanted clear explanations, practical recipes, and trustworthy information I could use right away with my… - Simple DIY Natural Laundry Detergent Recipe
Simple DIY Natural Laundry Detergent Recipe Why You Should Make Your Own Natural Laundry Detergent This DIY natural laundry detergent recipe is a simple way to make your own laundry soap using natural ingredients. Making your own detergent keeps sensitive skin safe from harsh chemicals found in commercial laundry detergents. Using castile soap bars, washing…