Selecting and clearing the home site

If you read my previous post, then you know we want to build a partially earth-sheltered home.  This changes the site selection process quite a bit (provided you don't intend to completely bulldoze and re-shape the land completely).  What we must find then, is a gentle south-facing hillside to set the house into.  It's almost ridiculous how perfect a spot our parcel of land would provide us.