Niki,
You should know that if you are hoping for the same kind of cherry you obtained the seed from...that you may of may not meet with success. Most fruit trees these days are grafted. A root stock is taken from a very root-hardy and strong growing member of the same family...in this case the Rosaceae, or rose family. The upper part that is grafted into the root stock is called the scion, or scion wood. All that said, you may get the cherry seed to grow, but who knows if you will ever get it top bear good fruit. You should also know that fruit trees are not easy to grow organically, especially all the members of the rose family (apples, pears, cherries, etc) because as previously stated, they are hosts to a multitude of pests and diseases. It can be done - and it certainly makes one appreciate organically grow produce a lot more.
Stratification is a process used to coax a plant to break dormancy and it takes many forms. Cold treatment is one and is also used for stratification of many CP seeds. With some plants it is more involved, i.e. cold, then warm, then cold again. I suggest if you really want to try to grow cherries that you contact your local cooperative extension - they are a wonderful source of agricultural and horticultural information.
This is probably way more information that you were looking for, but I hope it helps.
John