By the mid-1930s, Grant Wood's Regionalist imagery was well known and in demand; the consequent schedule of exhibitions and lectures afforded him little time to work on major paintings. As a result, his work after 1934 is largely limited to prints and drawings like Fertility.

In 1937, Wood entered into an agreement with Associated American Artists, New York, to publish a minimum of four lithographs a year, resulting in a total of 19 lithographs by 1941. The subjects of these prints mirrored themes that were favorites of Wood, including rural life, farm scenes, and the changing seasons. One series of lithographs, made from this original charcoal drawing in 1939, produced an edition of 250 prints. In this post-depression era, the prints were sold for approximately $5 each, significantly less than the prices commanded by his prints only ten years before.