On the edge of a field on the outskirts of Missoula, Mont., a small roadside farm stand does brisk business. Display coolers keep herbs, greens, and other sensitive veggies properly chilled, as tomatoes, potatoes, onions, and other room temperature produce sit there looking pretty in crates. The policies and electronic payment information are posted on the wall above a table laden with homemade soap and bags of lemon balm cookies.
Two shoppers from the same car enter the farm stand and self-serve, grabbing produce and a loaf of bread stocked by the local bakery. They quickly depart, leaving the stand to a masked man waiting at a safe distance for his turn to shop. The couple pays from the car by Venmo.
