Sort through the beans and discard any damaged beans or pebbles. Rinse the beans under cold running water and put them in a large pot. Add the neck bones, stock or bouillon cube and water, salt, and thyme and bring to a boil, which will take 12 to 15 minutes. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and boil gently for 1 hour. (Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables.) When the neck bones and beans have cooked for an hour, add the remaining ingredients except the parsley and Tabasco sauce to the pot and bring to a boil. Cover and boil very gently for 1 hour longer. If the liquid reduces too much and the beans begin to look dry, add 1/2 cup water or so. The beans should be tender and moist, with some liquid remaining. Serve in bowls, sprinkled with the parsley and thyme, if using. Pass Tabasco sauce for adding, if desired.