The depth depends on what kind of soil strata you've got and how wet or dry. If you hit rock at 24", then the pole can be fine at that depth. If you're hitting hard sand/dirt, then 4 feet is the bare minimum for some of New York and colder areas require a minimum of 5 feet. Even at 5 feet, if the ground doesn't feel rock-hard from compaction, you might want to pour a pad in there first. Then set the pole on top.
50 lb. snow load isn't very much, unless you're going to have at least a 4/12 roof pitch with steel - so it can shed snow. I'd never build with less hten 80 lb. and usually go 100 lb. It's not worth the chance, and is also 80 lb. is the minimum requirement in the Adirondacks.
Keep in mind that you want a building that can stand the weight of any snow accumulation, on its own - in case you're away somewhere when it builds up. I've seen many new pole barns come down the first winter - that were built to minimum code.
As for poles? I hope you've got the correct ones. Many pressure-treated 6" X 6" are NOT properly treated for long-time burial. You have to ask and verify, or you'll often get the wrong poles. Many buidling yard people are clueless on the subject since CCA poles got scarce. In my area of New York there are NO lumber yards that stock any 10 footers with proper treatment, and sometimes, even the 12s, 14s and 16s are not correct.
The hole-diameter doesn't have any code requirements in New York. To be techincal, the smaller the hole, the stronger the building will be. Contactors usually make big holes since they use machines and hardly do anything by hand.
The original benefit to pole-building was that the poles were tight in virgin, undisturbed soil. When done this way, they resist side-forces from wind, and from rafters pusing side and going out sideways (with no collar ties).
When you dig big holes, and refill with soil, those poles will never be tight and you will loose the main benefit. You then have to hope the collar-tied trusses and braces keep the building from side-shifting.
Since you're near Lake Ontario, maybe your soil is softer than my area. In my areas of Otsego County (Central NY), Hamilton County (Adirondacks), and Jefferson County (Tug Hill), a post hole digger would be useless. Too many big rocks on the way down.
I've built half-a-dozen large pole barns. Also a three-story pole-barn-shop and a two-story house. All with 6" square poles. All holes dug by hand no bigger then 12" to 20". It's extra work but makes a very strong, wind-resistant building. Even is a hole is 24", you can jam rocks in there around the pole to tighten up before filling.
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Today's Featured Article - Listening to Your Tractor - by Curtis Von Fange. Years ago there was a TV show about a talking car. Unless you are from another planet, physically or otherwise, I don’t think our internal combustion buddies will talk and tell us their problems. But, on the other hand, there is a secret language that our mechanical companions readily do speak. It is an interesting form of communication that involves all the senses of the listener. In this series we are going to investigate and learn the basic rudimentary skills of understanding this lingo.
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