Even in this rural patch of natural gas fields and deer hunting grounds, where the closest Whole Foods is more than 100 miles away, Amazon’s influence is deeply felt. Mr. Nowacoski says Amazon and other big retailers have conditioned consumers to expect a higher level of convenience.

“This is where society is going, and we have to figure out how the small farm plays a role in it,” he says.

A day on the road with the Nowacoskis shows how exhausting and costly e-commerce can be.

The couple rise at dawn to feed the chickens, then battle icy roads, burning through gasoline — all to “build baskets” of items like cheese curds, lettuce and sourdough loaves for a relatively small number of families who are willing to pay for the service.