Why did the author of Seedfolks most likely make Kim's character think about her father when she is in the vacant lot?

The vacant lot probably makes Kim think of her father because he was a farmer and because it is the day after the anniversary of his death.
Kim's father has been dead for ten years; he died before he ever got the chance to know her. She's only nine. When the story opens, it's the morning after the anniversary of his death. The candle and incense on the altar have burned away.
Kim takes seeds, water, and a spoon and walks to the vacant lot. There, she thinks about her father. She's jealous of the memories her family has of him and jealous of the fact that he knew them. Even though their apartment has no yard, she thinks, in the vacant lot, maybe her father can see her. Kim believes that if he sees her farming, he'll see that she is his daughter.