(pork and) Beans: soup is good food

It's getting colder on the Plains. The wind is starting to whip out of the north, bringing with it cold temperatures. In my eyes, that makes it soup season.
My favorite tool to cook soup is my crockpot. Put all the ingredients in, let it go and 10 hours later, dinner is served!
Tonight we are having bean soup and rustic bread:

1 pkg 10 beans for soup mix
1 box vegetable broth
1 c barley
1 bay leaf
Salt & pepper
Dash thyme

Pour ingredients into a crock pot. Cook on low, 10 hours. 15 minutes before serving, remove bay leaf and stir in barley.
Serve with rustic bread.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH_l3-CHaYQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player