Xylella, anche
When I first translocated from Ostuni to Casamassella two months ago, I wondered what I would become habituated to living here. I had by then, after having lived in Ostuni for nine months, become used to stunning observations of acres and acres of olive orchards, let alone, to sensational participation of liters and liters of olive oils becoming made. After two months in this place, I have sort of become used to not being surrounded by lush olive trees — though by no means have I become used to the desiccation of this area — and considering the time of the cultivation cycle, to engage fieldworking adventures other than those of olive oil production per se. By way of example, I have spent hours and hours, at once much perplexed and curious, trying to grapple with the almost complete dieback of some olive plants relationally to the yet sprouting parts of others; however random such growth appears and however scarce it relationally to the larger scope of the dieback nowadays characterizing this area occurs, it is tremendously fascinating how some plants feature lush and fruit yielding branches amid otherwise seemingly desiccated ones. I will think more through this in my next post, where I invite critical analysis of the commonly regarded immortal nature of olive plants relationally the mortality of industries. For now though, and by way ending this post, one thing that I have become extremely habituated to living here, is how the presence of Xylella fastidiosa prevails conversations about my research in general, my being here in particular. No matter who I encounter and whoever knows about my presence in this place, I am readily identified as the “Xylella researcher”, and although my research indeed concerns Xylella, it is by no means the core thereof. And so, I have become as habituated to remark “anche” after Xylella whenever my research becomes the topic of conversation, as I have noting the emotions, sensations, practices, and presences by which it is enwrapped; both the conversation and Xylella that is.
