They got through one hard year and apparently did nothing to feed themselves during the summer ... then winter hit.
Have you ever experienced summer at Jamestowne? I visited there one year in July, and it is just awful -- hot, humid, buggy, etc. I could barely breathe, and I was being transported on a tour wagon! Now, imagine that you are already severely weakened from illness and hiding from unfriendly Indians and think about how eager you are to work in the garden!