Preserving wood cook stoves from rust / outdoor sheltered storage?

I have a couple of wood cook stoves (Pioneer Princess style for cooking and heating) that are being stored in a barn. They're protected mostly from direct elements, but they are getting a thin layer of rust on them. I need to store them for several months up to perhaps even a couple years. Family has said I should not/cannot use tarps over them since it will make them rust faster with moisture collection in the midwest, but I have to find some options to stop them from getting any thicker rust.

I've seen some spray on options that are for marine and bike use, but I can't find any information about what would be good and/or safe for things that will be heated and cooked on.

What do you suggest for keeping these beauties from needing extreme attention and de-rusting when we're ready to use them?

i would pretend that they are a cast iron pan. and oil them with a cooking oil....

@jordan barton thank you, but this crossed our minds and we got to thinking about the hinges and sides and parts that have paint removed. Clearly we can repaint some parts, but there are parts that are never going to be able to be painted properly to protect it. I don't think we can sufficiently treat all of the exposed parts like such a pan.

Hey Greg, that's a tough one.

Methinks it's a two-part problem:
1. Seal exposed surfaces from moisture
2. Create an envelope that is low humidity relative to atmosphere

I know that many forums would say "just hose everything down with WD40." It would be helpful to know how "permie" you want to go with this. Are conventional oils, new or used, an option for you?

I made my own blend of 50:50 lard:charcoal that I used as lampblack.  I first powdered the charcoal, then melted the lard, and mixed in the charcoal.  After letting it solidify, I used a rag to rub it into the metal.  Looks very nice.

Michael Qulek wrote:I made my own blend of 50:50 lard:charcoal that I used as lampblack.  

Interesting! I'm guessing this is a simple cold preservative. Have you tried heating stoves treated with this mix, in a controlled fashion, to see if it will polymerize like the seasoning of a cast iron pan?

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:[
Interesting! I'm guessing this is a simple cold preservative. Have you tried heating stoves treated with this mix, in a controlled fashion, to see if it will polymerize like the seasoning of a cast iron pan?

Well, it never works out that way.  I usually apply it sometime in the spring/summer when the stove has been sitting there cold.  By the time cold weather comes around, I am in a hurry to get the home warmed up, so I forget about doing anything in a "controlled fashion".  It smokes, and smells like I'm cooking, but it goes away shortly.  I never see the kind of fine patina that I can get on my cast-iron pans.