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[Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>]

> We've been told, and have now experienced, that being somewhat higher 
> where there is cold weather is better than being at the bottom.  Seems the 
> cold "rolls" down the hills and settles in the valleys and the growing 
> period is a month to 6 weeks shorter in the valleys around here.
>
> We've had our garden in about 3 weeks now (other than peas and things like 
> that which went in some time ago) but the folks who live directly across 
> the creek from us had their last frost last weekend and are just now 
> getting their garden in.

Cold air does descend, so a house and garden are optimally elevated 
somewhat above the valley bottom. Ozarks' ridgetops get nasty winter winds 
and ice storms. Of course if you are many thousand feet elevation you will 
be substantially cooler year-round as Flagstaff is to Phoenix.

For most gardens and orchards, sun angle is more important than elevation. 
South-east-facing gardens warm earliest in spring. Peaches are best grown 
on a north-facing slope to delay flowering and fruit set, to avoid 
late-frost loss.

Narrow, deep wooded hollows as occur in parts of Appalachia and the Ozarks 
may not be plantable until the sun track is higher in the sky, which 
shortens the growing season.

Garden location is more important than house location, although the two are 
ideally very close to each other.