Grass hay from small fields. Best methodology?

Good Evening All,

 

This may be a longish post, so please bear with me.

 

I've been cutting and tedding my own hay for the past 5 years and having it baled by a contractor. Last winter I bought a small square baler and will be doing the whole job myself this year. Equipment comprises a Kuhn GMD44 disc mower, a Zagroda tedder/rake (Polish copy of a PZ haybob) and a JD 359T baler. Tractor is a 1967 Nuffield 465 (65hp).

 

I'll be making grass hay from 3 small fields. the smallest about 1 1/2 acres, roughly rectangular, The largest about 5 acres, roughly rectangular, length about twice the width. The third field about 4 acres, triangular, one square corner where the gate is.

 

In previous years I've cut the triangular field working from the outside in, in decreasing triangles until I reach the middle. the rectangular fields I cut from outside inwards in decreasing rectangles for 5 or 6 rows, then cut lengthwise rows. Obviously, I work clockwise, turning right towards the mower. When tedding and when rowing-up for the baler, I work anti-clockwise using the same pattern as for the cut. This seems to work OK for rectangular fields but makes it awkward for the baler in the triangular field, because of the acute corners, a lot of hay gets missed and has to be raked up again. This results in me dashing around behind the baler raking-in the missed bits to save his time.

 

Now that I'll be doing all three jobs, I won't be having to concern myself with the baler's time but I don't want to work inefficiently. I only have the one tractor, so i don't ideally want lots of equipment changes, but I wonder whether it might be better to work the triangle field in straight lines, apart from the outside few rows, row-up the straight runs and bale them, then row-up the outside rows for baling, accepting that they will have been driven on a fair bit.

 

I'm somewhat self-taught, so I don't know if my methods are good or if there is a better approach. Much as I enjoy the satisfaction of making my own hay, any suggestions and tips that reduce the time and effort, or just make a better job of it, would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Grass hay from small fields. Best methodology?