Rinse the navy beans thoroughly and soak them in water overnight to rehydrate them. Drain and rinse the beans again before using.

In your slow cooker, mix together the soaked beans, water, diced ham, chopped onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, minced garlic, thyme, and bay leaf.

Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper according to your taste.

Cover and slow-cook the mixture on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until the beans are tender.

Before serving, remove the bay leaf; it’ll have done its job imparting flavor.

Ladle up your stew and enjoy!