A quick Googling reveals that this direction predominates over the other three, though the north forty yields a fair showing

I was appalled not to find the expression in the usual dictionaries; slang, idiom, or otherwise. To my understanding, the term is used to denote any area of vacant land adjacent a home or ranch, regardless of its size and usu its direction from the house

All further input welcome--thanks guys
and gals

dalehileman