Keene sits in the Ashuelot River valley ringed by the rolling hills of the Monadnock region, and that geography shapes how every yard in the Elm City performs through the seasons. The underlying glacial till, deposited by retreating ice sheets thousands of years ago, creates a dense and compacted subsoil that sheds water fast on slopes but pools it stubbornly on flatter lots near the river corridor. With a first fall frost arriving as early as October 3 and a last spring frost as late as May 27, the growing window in Zone 5b is short and unforgiving, making quality mulch and amended topsoil critical investments for gardeners here. Residents in West Keene neighborhoods dealing with heavy till, and customers we serve in nearby Claremont, all benefit from bulk material delivery that cuts the cost of doing this right.