Help! - un-cut Coastal Field - next steps

Hi everyone - new here. first post.

Just bought a 'new to me' place, and it has a wonderful 20ac coastal field that I want to 'get going' again.

This is in North Texas, and the field had been maintained & baled by a neighbor for the last 10 years (fertilized, weeded, & productively baled).

 

Problem is the coastal never got cut/baled in 2015 (& with all the wonderful rain we had it grew thick & lush). The neighbor chose 'retire' right about the time I was buying the place (mid-year), and I couldn't get anybody else out there (limited resources/time/money).

 

So what are my options now? - with the thick/tall/now dormant  (dry/brown) coastal standing? It's about 3 feet tall, and very thick bottom 6"?

I have a tractor & a shredder, but currently no hay-cutter or baler. (I plan on getting the latter two, but can't till I sell my previous house).

Funds are very limited (paying 2 mortgages till I sell previous place).

Can I just shred it all now - and it will be fine in the spring, or will that create too much mulch for the underlying dormant/healthy coastal?

Control-Burn it? or will that destroy the underlying coastal ?

 

Ideas? I know ya'll first say ' have someone come bale it and take it away' - and I've been trying to do that for the last 6 months, but with all the rain we had in 2015 in Texas, everybody wants $1500+ to come do that cause hay is so plentiful that nobody will bale on the halves or bale for the hay.

I'm just super-broke paying 2 mortgages and can't come up with the $1500 now.

 

Help? Ideas? (If this is in the wrong category - sorry?)

Help! - un-cut Coastal Field - next steps