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Ripening blueberries at Bhavana Berries in Southold. (Credit: Krysten Massa)

I’m driving back to Times Review’s Mattituck office with a clamshell of disappearing of blueberries on my lap. I just purchased a pint of Bhavana Berries blueberries from Sang Lee Farms in Peconic and I’m trying to save a few for my husband to sample, but it’s proving difficult.

At $6.99 for a small container, these Southold-grown, NOFA-NY certified organic blueberries certainly aren’t cheap. But this is what you would call “the good stuff.”

I’ve been sampling this fruit since it was first offered as part of Sang Lee’s CSA program in 2015 and have been a fan ever since. Store bought blueberries lose their flavor so fast and unless you are buying directly from a farm, you have no idea what you are missing out on. The sweetness and firm texture is just in another category. And for some reason the varieties from Bhavana are a standout, even among other local varieties.

Bhavana Blueberries gets its name from the Sanskrit word for cultivating. I’ve never been to the property, which is apparently Long Island’s largest blueberry farm, but our former staff photographer Barbaraellen Koch visited with proprietor Mickey Harley last year. They do offer a U-pick option, so I hope to visit soon.

I would classify Bhavana Berries’ offerings as an affordable luxury and urge all of our readers to try them at least once before the season is over.

Our Krysten Massa captured the above video earlier this week.

The farm, located at 4395 Hortons Lane in Southold, is open daily from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. through August 30, according to its website. Call (631) 599-6459 for more info.

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